No one does long-distance quite like the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) 🦋 Each year, these incredible butterflies travel northwards from the desert fringes of North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, recolonising mainland Europe and reaching Britain and Ireland. The whole journey is not undertaken by individual butterflies but is a series of steps by up to six successive generations! So Painted Ladies returning in the autumn are several generations removed from their ancestors who set of