Kiev flooded with thousands of orange butterflies

Flock of butterflies flooded Kiev on Monday, June 4. Users of social networks report that “thousands, if not tens of thousands” of Lepidoptera fluttered in the center of the Ukrainian capital.
According to descriptions, the events in Kiev resembled a fairy tale: butterflies fearlessly sat on people, flew “in droves, in pairs, alone”, teased domestic animals.
The reason for the dominance in the city of orange-red moths was explained by entomologist Valery Korneyev. According to him, the phenomenon is to blame for “instant spring”, thanks to which all adults who survived the winter – adult butterflies – laid eggs almost simultaneously. A month after the heavy rain, the pupae burst and Kiev was flooded with bright moths.
Black-red blossoms (Nymphalis xanthomelas) – this species includes prolific insects – day butterflies, widespread in Ukraine and Russia.