A large migration of yellow butterflies, believed to be the Lemon Migrant butterfly, has fluttered into the Bundaberg Region.
The spectacular kaleidoscope of fast-flying butterflies has been seen during the past week from northern New South Wales up to Bundaberg.
Butterflies Australia Project’s Chris Sanderson said in Brisbane they were currently seeing a large number of Lemon Migrants, and it appeared they had spanned right along the east coast up to the Bundaberg Region.
Chris said without seeing the insects in person he couldn’t be 100 per cent sure that they were the Lemon Migrants butterflies in Bundaberg, but they probably were.
He said there was a similar species of butterfly known as the Yellow Migrant, but it was much less common.
“They really are spectacular at the moment,” Chris said.
“The scientific name is Catopsilia pomona, and they are broadly distributed and use a huge variety of plants as hosts for their caterpillars.”
The Lemon Migrant is also known as the Common Emigrant, and is a medium-sized butterfly that gets its name for its massive migration, it is also found in Asia.
Chris said the Lemon Migrant wasn’t the only butterfly migrating at the moment, and Bundaberg residents could become citizen scientists by helping to keep track of the butterflies in the area and record their sightings to Butterflies Australia Project through their Butterflies Australia app.
“We also have a lot of Blue Tigers moving through Brisbane at the moment, so keep your eyes out for them up your way,” Chris said.
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To check on butterflies, go to any trucking depot or yard and check the grills on the trucks which are newly arrived. It makes fascinating viewing.