What are all those tiny butterflies flitting about the South Bay?


Swarms of butterflies are invading sections of Southern California as a result of an unusually heavy migration of a common species making its way from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest to breed, experts say.

About 1 billion butterflies, known as Painted Ladies, are flying at speeds of 20 miles per hour in a northerly direction from the deserts of Mexico to reach breeding grounds in Oregon, said Tom Merriman, a director of Butterfly Farms, a nonprofit in north San Diego County dedicated to restoring the health of butterflies as pollinators.

Many callers have reported being amazed at the volume of these small, yellowish, orange and black butterflies the size of a silver dollar. Reports have come in from San Dimas, Glendora, Pasadena, Burbank, San Bernardino and Palm Desert. - The Beach Reporter