meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Following the Painted Ladies

The Atlas Obscura Podcast

SiriusXM Podcasts & Atlas Obscura

Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.61.8K Ratings

🗓️ 21 January 2026

⏱️ 16 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Have you heard of the Painted Lady butterfly? Scientists say this small speckled beauty – no more than 6 cm across – endures the longest migration path of its species. Photographer Lucas Foglia, author of "Constant Bloom," dared to follow the path of this butterfly in his photo book, Constant Bloom, and he says the journey reveals a rich story of strength and vulnerability in our interconnected world.  PLUS: We always want to hear from you! If you have a question or story for us, give us a call at at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send an email to hello@atlasobscura.com

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I'm Kelly McEvers, and this is Atlas Obscura, a celebration of the world's strange,

0:07.6

incredible, and wondrous places.

0:14.3

There's something magical about a butterfly.

0:17.5

This little flutter of beauty that comes quickly and then it's gone.

0:21.6

Moving on.

0:23.1

Migrating.

0:24.6

Looking for the next flower.

0:30.0

Scientists believe the butterfly that has the longest migration is the painted lady.

0:36.6

It's this small orange and black speck of winged butterfly that is in a constant state of

0:41.6

movement.

0:42.8

9,000 miles round trip from the European Arctic Circle to Central Africa.

0:48.4

Photographer Lucas Folia documented this journey in his latest book, Constant Bloom.

0:55.3

And he says the migration of these butterflies reveals a deeper story of resilience and

1:01.1

strength in our interconnected world.

1:04.3

Lucas, welcome.

1:05.5

So nice to have you.

1:06.8

It's wonderful to be here.

1:07.9

Thanks for having me.

1:12.5

Before we dive into talking about the butterflies,

1:15.6

looks like you've done several projects that focus on the intersection of the human world and the world of animals.

1:20.8

What has drawn you to that?

1:22.9

I grew up on a small family farm surrounded by forest,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from SiriusXM Podcasts & Atlas Obscura, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of SiriusXM Podcasts & Atlas Obscura and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.