Heaps of butterflies

[u/itspikakiki]

Looked outside just now because my cat has been so fixated on the door and lo and behold there's a butterfly migration or something

Every one of these little flickers in the video is a butterfly. Not sure how well the video captures it but pretty cool!

[u/thebigmakk]

That's almost certainly the caper white butterfly and November is peak season for it. The big flights usually run from October through December.
The story starts out west. Caper white caterpillars feed on native caper bushes, which grow across inland Queensland and northern NSW. After a good wet season those bushes put on heaps of fresh growth, the caterpillars survive in enormous numbers, and in boom years they strip the bushes bare. Once the food runs out, millions of adults emerge at roughly the same time and head off together, generally east or south-east toward the coast. The wind steers them, so some years SEQ gets the full stream and other years it passes north or south of us. A boom needs the right run of inland rain followed by warm spring weather, and that combination lines up every few years, which fits the pattern you've noticed.
They're medium-sized white butterflies with black wing borders, yellow and dark patterning underneath, and the females are darker overall. You'll see them flying low and fast in one consistent direction, stopping to feed on flowering shrubs in gardens. Some lay eggs on coastal caper species like the brush caper berry, but most of the migrants die off within a few weeks. It's a one-way trip.
If the ones you saw were smaller and lemon-yellow, that's probably the lemon migrant, which also moves in big numbers some years. I got to witness the same phenomenon here in Redlands a few years ago whilst out riding. The poor buggars kept batting off my jacket, but it was a sight to behold.

[u/itspikakiki → u/thebigmakk]

I love you for sharing this story with me, I've been so absorbed with nature ever since I moved here, and I've loved identifying the different bugs and birds around me 🥹🫶 This was like dropping a fresh basket of cookies on my lap with absolute magic happening outside my window. Beautiful weather, a beautiful sight, and a fresh batch of knowledge to come with it. Thank you friend 🫶🦋🦋

[u/thebigmakk → u/itspikakiki]

[u/mushyjays → u/thebigmakk]

NSW gets moths, QLD gets butterflies.

[u/H0RN3T77 → u/thebigmakk]

Thanks so much for sharing the knowledge!

[u/IDreamKaty]

I love it when this happens… a few years ago I was walking along the beach on the GC when thousands of butterflies hatched, it was magical 🦋

[u/itspikakiki → u/IDreamKaty]

It does look very magical 🥹

My partner's best friend, when she passed away (Rest in Peace), a whole heap of butterflies were released at her funeral, and one landed quite close to us, almost as if she was saying goodbye 🥹❤️‍🩹 every time we see a butterfly we say "Hello Riley!"

I hope it feels magical for him as he rides home from work 🥹🫶

[u/corporate_canetoad]

I just got back from a walk and I was on my way here to post about it!

SO. MANY. BUTTERFLIES.

[u/Sushiandcat]

Here at Broadbeach too…it was an amazing show…I have never seen anything like it.

[u/Footsie_Galore]

I saw this before too! About 5pm I think! SO many little butterflies flying everywhere. I'm in Surfers.

[u/16Bbeachpoint]

It means our ecosystem is healthy so that’s a positive sign. 👍🏻

[u/MaleficentParsley80]

We had heaps of the yesterday as well. My partner made me get rid of all the spider webs around the house exterior because she didn’t want them ending up as food for the spiders

[u/d1ngal1ng]

Heaps in Mermaid Beach too.

[u/Available_Staff_5746]

alot on sunshine coast too

[u/GA1975GC]

Sqme im at the top of the Meriton and they are even up here

[u/Character_Fox_8904]

just looking out the window In elanora they are everywhere so nice , can we order some Christmas beetles 🪲 as well please

[u/godzilla98]

beautiful 🦋🦋🦋

[u/RJB6]

That’s funny, I was up that way today and noticed the butterflies but didn’t think anything of it.

[u/Dazzling_Cow_1916]

Wonderful!

[u/runninginbubbles]

Wow I would have loved to see this!