Observation date: April 24, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Migrant pausing for a rest in a field of wildflowers. Very powerful flyer. Have not seen as many Painted Ladies migrating as I expected this year after all the California rains. Also, the direction of their prevailing flight has been more from the west, not the usual southeast to northwest track during a big migration. I noticed rainfall totals were less near the Mexican border. Is that the reason?
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: April 30, 2023
Coordinator notes: John Emmel's Law: In a given set of circumstances, butterflies will do whatever they please! Last October Snout Butterflies took over a canyon in the Tehachapi Mountains, a hundred in less than 2 hours, How did they know this canyon had good fall rains? Snouts rarely occur anywhere near that area in any year. Maybe they were avoiding nearby solar panel fields and windfarms! Painted Ladies were there as well, also in numbers...Ken Davenport
