Which butterfly species migrates from North Africa to the UK each spring?

The painted lady butterfly migrates from North Africa and the Mediterranean to the UK each spring.

Painted ladies (Vanessa cardui) are among the world’s most widely distributed butterflies, living in temperate regions across several continents. In Europe, spring migrants move north from warmer African and Mediterranean areas, reaching Britain mainly in May and June. Some continue as far as Iceland.

This is not one single, uninterrupted journey by one butterfly. The species breeds during migration, so several successive generations can help carry the population northward. Later in the year, descendants migrate south again, and research suggests that British painted ladies may complete a round trip of about 14,500 kilometres between tropical Africa and the Arctic Circle.

A common mix-up is the monarch butterfly, famous for its migration in North America. Red admirals and small tortoiseshells also occur in Britain, but the North Africa-to-UK spring migration is the classic painted-lady story. Weather and rainfall strongly affect the size of each year’s arrival, so some springs bring spectacular numbers while others are relatively quiet.