A painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui), one of the world’s most widespread migratory butterfly species, has been spotted in Sivaganga district.

The butterfly was photographed by bird enthusiast Kumaresan Chandrabose, who has been documenting birds and butterflies in the district since 2013.

“On June 15, I spotted around eight painted lady butterflies. When I visited the same location the next day, I saw six butterflies in a single patch within a 2.5-acre area that I frequently survey. There is a possibility that there were more individuals in the area,” he said.

Mr. Chandrabose said while this was his first sighting of the species in the district, he later learnt from fellow butterfly enthusiasts that the painted lady had previously been spotted once in Sivaganga in 2019.

The painted lady is known for its extraordinary long-distance migrations. Found across Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and Australia, the species is capable of travelling thousands of kilometres across continents. A recent study documented painted lady butterflies crossing more than 4,200 km across the Atlantic Ocean from West Africa to South America with the aid of favourable winds.

In India, the butterfly is more commonly reported from higher-altitude regions, particularly in the Western Ghats, but is also seen in the plains.

Mr. Chandrabose said the sighting could indicate a southward movement of the species towards Ramanathapuram and Sri Lanka, and to Europe from there. However, he said that this was only a preliminary inference and that more records and systematic documentation would be required to establish any migration route.

Ramkumar, a farmer-turned-butterfly expert, said the species has been recorded from the Nilgiris, Yercaud, Tiruvannamalai and Chennai. Despite its wide distribution, it often goes unnoticed because of its camouflage.

“People may overlook the butterfly as it blends well with its surroundings. More studies are needed to understand its behaviour, migration patterns and breeding habits in Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding the record from Sivaganga was particularly interesting and could contribute to knowledge of the species’ migration route.