GARDENERS and walkers across the Cornwall have been enchanted by the arrival of an exotic beauty from North Africa.

Painted lady butterflies are from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, but migrate to Europe seeking cooler temperatures each year.

Conservationists say millions of the insects are arriving in Britain, in what could be one of the largest migrations in decades.

The public is being urged to help track their journey by logging any sightings online.

West Briton reader David Wheeler, from Troon, sent in a photo of butterflies he spotted in his garden.

"We have a large cotoneaster bush which is now in full flower. On Saturday it had at least 30 butterflies on it," he said.

Large numbers of the species, which have orange, black and white-spotted wings, were first spotted arriving off Portland Bill in Dorset a few weeks ago. Since then, millions have successfully completed the 1,000-mile migration from North Africa to the UK, ending up at locations across southern England, from Cornwall to East Anglia.

Richard Fox, surveys manager at the Butterfly Conservation charity, said it was a "spectacular phenomenon". The charity wants the public to take photographs of the insects and send them to www.butterfly-conservation.org/migrantwatch