Where did all these butterflies come from?

Posted on 12. Mar, 2010 by Ali in Nature

I am sure you have noticed the huge number of butterflies all over Kuwait and in case you wondered about the reason behind the sudden increase in butterflied population in Kuwait, we at Deera Chat have done a research and here are some possible answers. But before we get into the answers lets learn more about the nature of our butterflies. The butterflies that are widespread in Kuwait are called “The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)”.The most common variety is the painted lady (Vanessa cardui), which is a regular migrant to Kuwait and is more abundant during the cooler months of the year (March and September). This butterfly is a strong flier and, even if settled on the ground, is difficult to approach. The adult is orange in color with black and white markings. Larvae are dark brown with short hairs, and feed on many different kinds of vegetation. The pupa is initially green, later changing to a golden color. It hangs from the twigs of the host plant. Source

Though it passes many countries during its migration, the Painted lady breeds only in certain selected areas. It has been recorded to breed in Bahrain, often in large numbers, and the favorite plant food of its larvae is the Small-flowered mallow Malva parviflora. The caterpillars hide themselves in tens of host leaves, which they tie together with silk until they pupate. Source

My take is that since it is commonly spread and breeds in close areas such as Bahrain, they might have migrated the short distance and have increased in population here in Kuwait. Causes for migration can be blamed on Global warming which would create an appropriate temperature for the Painted Ladies to populate.

Finally i would like to note that all the above is done via Google and if in any case something is wrong please let me know.

Tags: butterflies, butterfly, Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui