Locals tout 'tricky' balance as invasive weed behind 'amazing phenomenon' in Aussie town
The swarms of butterflies have been attracted to the area due to the increasing spread of invasive weeds. Butterfly larvae feed on narrow-leaf cotton bush and milkweed, both of which are thriving near Nannup.
The butterflies arrived in the town about two months ago, with locals saying they've never seen anything like it.
'It's been amazing, it's an amazing phenomenon,' Heather Walford, from Nannup Lavender Farm, told Yahoo News. 'We always get butterflies but not en masse.'
She said the butterflies were 'good for business', as tourists venture out to the town in the state's South West region to admire the insects.
Can't have butterflies without noxious weeds
Nannup was built alongside the Blackwood River and is surrounded by pine plantations – both of which are conducive to the growth of invasive weeds. Cotton bush and milkweed are toxic to humans and animals, and outcompete native plants.
The town recently held their annual Flower and Garden Festival, and while the butterflies are attracted to the 20,000 tulips decorating the streets, they cannot lay their eggs in them.
Horticulturist Colin Barlow said the invasive plants are an important part of their lifecycle, and without the weeds there would be no monarch butterflies.
'It's a bit of a symbiotic relationship, but without these plants the monarch butterfly can't survive,' Colin told Yahoo News.
Adult butterflies can survive on the nectar of other plants, but caterpillars will only eat milkweeds and cotton bush, he added.
"It's getting that balance to control them to make sure it doesn't become more of a problem in cultivated areas and gardens. It's really educating the public landowners to keep it clear, to weed them out before it goes to seed."
Colin was a featured guest at the festival, and said the butterflies made a spectacular sight – but noted it may not occur on such a large scale again.
'Everybody loves butterflies because it's such a fleeting existence… and just to see swarms of them. It's just very, very unusual,' he said.
'It's an introduced insect, and it needs to survive on declared weeds, so it's a tricky sort of ecological and environmental balance you've got to get between the weed and the species. But we've got to enjoy this because we may not see it again."
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
North Lake Tahoe's hidden joys: 7 soulful escapes beyond the crowds
From hand-fed chickadees to lakeside hikes and paddleboard adventures, discover the quieter side of Tahoe that locals love. Lake Tahoe may be famous for its cobalt waters and world-class skiing, but North Lake Tahoe whispers a different kind of magic. Here, the pace slows, the crowds thin, and nature takes center stage. Whether you're hiking to a rock shaped like a monkey's head or paddling past boulders toward a historic lodge, these soulful escapes offer something deeper than a checklist — they offer connection. Here are seven unforgettable ways to experience North Lake Tahoe beyond the usual tourist trail. 1. Feed Chickadees at Chickadee Ridge It's not every day you get to play Snow White in the wild. At Chickadee Ridge near Incline Village, you can hike or snowshoe to a quiet spot where mountain chickadees will literally eat from your hand. Bring birdseed, hold out your palm, and wait. The flutter of tiny wings and the gentle peck of a beak is pure joy — for kids and adults alike. 2. Paddle to Thunderbird Lodge with Tahoe Adventure Company Curious what it's like to paddle past boulders and into Tahoe's wild heart? Watch the video above for a firsthand look at this unforgettable adventure. For a summer experience that blends serenity and storytelling, join a guided kayak tour to Thunderbird Lodge. You'll paddle through crystal-clear waters, past iconic Bonsai Rock, and land at the only undeveloped stretch of Lake Tahoe's shoreline. The historic lodge offers a glimpse into Tahoe's past, while the journey itself — framed by jagged peaks and emerald coves — feels timeless. 3. Hike to Monkey Rock This moderate 2.5-mile hike near Incline Village leads to a quirky rock formation that resembles a monkey's head. But the real reward is the sweeping view of Lake Tahoe from the top. Start at the Tunnel Creek Trailhead and follow the well-marked path. It's a short trek with a big payoff — perfect for sunrise or sunset. 4. Cruise Emerald Bay on the Tahoe Gal Hop aboard a classic paddle-wheeler for a relaxing cruise from Tahoe City to Emerald Bay. The Tahoe Gal offers brunch, lunch, and dinner voyages, each with panoramic views of the lake and mountains. Along the way, you'll spot Vikingsholm Castle and cascading waterfalls — all while sipping a cocktail or soaking up the sun. 5. Stroll the Tahoe East Shore Trail Dubbed 'America's Most Beautiful Bikeway,' this paved trail from Incline Village to Sand Harbor is equally stunning on foot. Interpretive signs share stories of the region's geology and wildlife, while the views — sandy beaches, scattered boulders, and turquoise water — speak for themselves. It's accessible, scenic, and soul-soothing. 6. Savor Breakfast at Fire Sign Cafe Before your day begins, fuel up at Fire Sign Cafe in Tahoe City. This cozy cabin-style diner serves Texas-sized portions of pancakes, omelets, and breakfast burritos. The food is hearty, the service warm, and the vibe pure mountain charm — the kind of place where locals linger and visitors feel instantly at home. If you're curious about where to eat, sleep, and play in Tahoe City, we've got a full guide to help you plan the perfect stop in this lakeside gem. 7. Zip Through the Pines at Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks If you're craving a thrill, head to one of North Tahoe's treetop adventure parks. With zip lines, rope bridges, and aerial courses for all skill levels, it's a playful way to engage with the forest. Whether you're six or sixty, the rush of flying through the pines is unforgettable. Why North Lake Tahoe Stays With You North Lake Tahoe isn't just a destination — it's a feeling. It's the hush of the forest, the sparkle of the lake, and the joy of discovering something unexpected. Whether you come for the chickadees or the kayak tours, you'll leave with more than photos. You'll leave with a story. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussies eye $30m Powerball jackpot as price change revealed, tourists flock to Pacific neighbour in record numbers, Commonwealth's major backflip
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Thursday. Powerball players will be hoping they're the lucky winner tonight with the jackpot sitting at $30 million. It comes as the game's operators announced it plans to hike the price of a ticket by 20c from November. Fiji is becoming an increasingly-popular tourist destination for Australians. The island nation's tourism board says more Aussies travelled to the country last month than any previous month on record. Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. Albanese's reputation 'forever tarnished', Netanyahu says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Anthony Albanese will be 'forever tarnished' by his decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. It comes after he earlier this weak lashed the Prime Minister in a social media post, saying history would remember him as a 'weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews'. Netanyahu doubled down on his comments in a Sky interview set to air on Thursday night. 'I'm sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,' he told the broadcaster. 'You know, when the worst terrorist organisation on Earth – these savages who murdered women, raped them, beheaded men, burned babies alive in front of their parents and took hundreds of hostages – when these people congratulate the Prime Minister of Australia, you know something is wrong.' Read more from NewsWire here. Aussies head to Fiji in record numbers Australian tourists are flocking to Fiji in record numbers, according to its tourism board. "Our neighbours from Australia continued to show their love for Fiji, leading the way with the highest-ever number of Australian visitors in a single month (last month), accounting for 45 per cent of all arrivals," Tourism Fiji said, revealing that number sits just shy of one million visitors. Fiji, heavily dependant on tourism, has benefited from increased flights from its national carrier and Australian operators to and from the island nation in recent years. "There is definitely a buzz in the air. Fiji is absolutely the place to be right now – perfect weather, outstanding resorts, unforgettable experiences, and of course, the warmth of our people," Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said. Aussies eye $30m Powerball draw with big change coming The Powerball jackpot has reached an impressive $30 million for tonight's draw and Aussies are being told to expect bigger prizes from the game more regularly. That's because lottery bosses flagged their plans to rise the price of a ticket to $1.40 from $1.20 yesterday. The Lottery Corporation Managing Director and CEO Sue van der Merwe said them ove would help "enable increased prizes across all divisions". The change, which still needs to be approved, is expected to happen in November. Commonwealth announces major backflip on redundancies Commonwealth Bank has apologised to staff it was set to axe and replace with AI technology, saying they got the decision wrong. The original plan was set to see up to 90 people lose their positions, with about half of those being replaced by a new AI chatbot designed to help customers. But CBA has announced a slight shift in that plan. CBA has now revealed that the staff set to be affected by the AI shift have been given two options. They can either keep their job or take a voluntary redundancy. 'CBA's initial assessment that the 45 roles were not required did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations, and this error meant the roles were not redundant,' a spokesperson for the bank said. 'We have apologised to the employees concerned and acknowledge we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required. "We are also reviewing our internal processes to improve our approach going forward.' Read more from Yahoo Finance's Stewart Perrie here. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Albanese's reputation 'forever tarnished', Netanyahu says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Anthony Albanese will be 'forever tarnished' by his decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. It comes after he earlier this weak lashed the Prime Minister in a social media post, saying history would remember him as a 'weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews'. Netanyahu doubled down on his comments in a Sky interview set to air on Thursday night. 'I'm sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,' he told the broadcaster. 'You know, when the worst terrorist organisation on Earth – these savages who murdered women, raped them, beheaded men, burned babies alive in front of their parents and took hundreds of hostages – when these people congratulate the Prime Minister of Australia, you know something is wrong.' Read more from NewsWire here. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Anthony Albanese will be 'forever tarnished' by his decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. It comes after he earlier this weak lashed the Prime Minister in a social media post, saying history would remember him as a 'weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews'. Netanyahu doubled down on his comments in a Sky interview set to air on Thursday night. 'I'm sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,' he told the broadcaster. 'You know, when the worst terrorist organisation on Earth – these savages who murdered women, raped them, beheaded men, burned babies alive in front of their parents and took hundreds of hostages – when these people congratulate the Prime Minister of Australia, you know something is wrong.' Read more from NewsWire here. Aussies head to Fiji in record numbers Australian tourists are flocking to Fiji in record numbers, according to its tourism board. "Our neighbours from Australia continued to show their love for Fiji, leading the way with the highest-ever number of Australian visitors in a single month (last month), accounting for 45 per cent of all arrivals," Tourism Fiji said, revealing that number sits just shy of one million visitors. Fiji, heavily dependant on tourism, has benefited from increased flights from its national carrier and Australian operators to and from the island nation in recent years. "There is definitely a buzz in the air. Fiji is absolutely the place to be right now – perfect weather, outstanding resorts, unforgettable experiences, and of course, the warmth of our people," Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said. Australian tourists are flocking to Fiji in record numbers, according to its tourism board. "Our neighbours from Australia continued to show their love for Fiji, leading the way with the highest-ever number of Australian visitors in a single month (last month), accounting for 45 per cent of all arrivals," Tourism Fiji said, revealing that number sits just shy of one million visitors. Fiji, heavily dependant on tourism, has benefited from increased flights from its national carrier and Australian operators to and from the island nation in recent years. "There is definitely a buzz in the air. Fiji is absolutely the place to be right now – perfect weather, outstanding resorts, unforgettable experiences, and of course, the warmth of our people," Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said. Aussies eye $30m Powerball draw with big change coming The Powerball jackpot has reached an impressive $30 million for tonight's draw and Aussies are being told to expect bigger prizes from the game more regularly. That's because lottery bosses flagged their plans to rise the price of a ticket to $1.40 from $1.20 yesterday. The Lottery Corporation Managing Director and CEO Sue van der Merwe said them ove would help "enable increased prizes across all divisions". The change, which still needs to be approved, is expected to happen in November. The Powerball jackpot has reached an impressive $30 million for tonight's draw and Aussies are being told to expect bigger prizes from the game more regularly. That's because lottery bosses flagged their plans to rise the price of a ticket to $1.40 from $1.20 yesterday. The Lottery Corporation Managing Director and CEO Sue van der Merwe said them ove would help "enable increased prizes across all divisions". The change, which still needs to be approved, is expected to happen in November. Commonwealth announces major backflip on redundancies Commonwealth Bank has apologised to staff it was set to axe and replace with AI technology, saying they got the decision wrong. The original plan was set to see up to 90 people lose their positions, with about half of those being replaced by a new AI chatbot designed to help customers. But CBA has announced a slight shift in that plan. CBA has now revealed that the staff set to be affected by the AI shift have been given two options. They can either keep their job or take a voluntary redundancy. 'CBA's initial assessment that the 45 roles were not required did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations, and this error meant the roles were not redundant,' a spokesperson for the bank said. 'We have apologised to the employees concerned and acknowledge we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required. "We are also reviewing our internal processes to improve our approach going forward.' Read more from Yahoo Finance's Stewart Perrie here. Commonwealth Bank has apologised to staff it was set to axe and replace with AI technology, saying they got the decision wrong. The original plan was set to see up to 90 people lose their positions, with about half of those being replaced by a new AI chatbot designed to help customers. But CBA has announced a slight shift in that plan. CBA has now revealed that the staff set to be affected by the AI shift have been given two options. They can either keep their job or take a voluntary redundancy. 'CBA's initial assessment that the 45 roles were not required did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations, and this error meant the roles were not redundant,' a spokesperson for the bank said. 'We have apologised to the employees concerned and acknowledge we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required. "We are also reviewing our internal processes to improve our approach going forward.' Read more from Yahoo Finance's Stewart Perrie here.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
South Korea tells tourists on holiday island Jeju to behave
Police in Jeju have for the first time released guidelines reminding foreign visitors to behave or face fines, as the South Korean holiday island sees an increasing number of tourists. Jeju police issued the guide following complaints from locals over foreigners' misbehaviour, including littering and letting children defecate on the street. The guide - printed in Chinese, English and Korean - is the first of its kind in the country, local police say, and comes during the peak summer season. Jeju, a volcanic island south of the Korean peninsula, is popular for its beaches, walking trails and windswept mountain views. Foreign visitors also come to Jeju for shopping and gambling. The guide aims to "prevent misunderstandings due to language and cultural differences and improve foreigners' understanding of Korean culture and laws", said Jeju Police Agency chief Kim Su-young. An initial eight thousand copies of the guide will be printed and distributed immediately, Kim said. The guide lists down "minor offences" that are punishable by fines. These include smoking in prohibited areas, littering, jaywalking, drunk and disorderly behaviour, running away from restaurants without paying for meals, urinating or defecating in public, using a fake ID, and trespassing and breaking into empty houses. First time violators are let off with with a warning, but repeat offenders could be fined by as much as 200,000 won ($143; £106), according to a copy of the guide released by police. South Korea has seen a strong post-pandemic rebound in tourism. Jeju alone has welcomed seven million visitors so far this year, according to local media. In 2024, foreign visitors pumped a record 9.26 trillion won into the local economy. Nearly 70% of these visitors visiting Jeju were from China. The island's crackdown on misbehaviour also highlights how tourism hotspots across Asia have been responding to over-tourism. Last year, a Japanese town blocked a famous roadside view of Mount Fuji to ward off tourists seeking to take pictures and selfies.
