Can someone identify this?

I've had several of these butterflies in my garden, and I finally got a pic. Well, with its wings up, not open. When they're open, the tops of the wings are the color of the orange part of the underwing.

Thanks for your help,
Peggy

It is a Painted Lady Vanessa cardui http://www.leps.it/indexjs.htm?SpeciesPages/CynthCardui.htm
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/usa/225.htm

And she's a beauty! I just love that butterfly bush too. I've got one that was just a cutting last year. When it bloomed this year I was so surprised at the shape of the blooms.

awesome! Thanks so much for your help! I tried the npwrc site, but I searched and searched and didn't find it. I knew someone here would be quicker! I didn't realize that hollyhocks and mallows were host plants. That's really great! I was wondering why I was seeing these all of a sudden. I had just planted those two types of plants last year. Earlier this summer I saw one once in a while, and thought it was pretty. Then yesterday, when I got my camera, I noted at least four flying around. My great theory in life, plant it and they will come. Funny, I planted those two things with the hummingbirds in mind.... but the more the merrier. :)

konkrete, I have about 11 butterfly bushes. Well, ok, I just picked up another one yesterday, so I had ten before that. The one on the pic I am worried about. Every Year in the spring, it looks dead, and then poof its the biggest baddest bush in the garden. This year, during a storm, it lost a huge branch, and then about a week later it lost another. I don't know if it was just weakened from the storm, or whether something is wrong with it. The leaves and branches are as big as usual, but the flowers were smaller this year.

Maggie - Which butterfly bushes do you have? I only have 6 (well 7, but the harlequin isn't growning for some reason.) I've found I get more butterflies on the honeycomb and nanho blue. Which of yours attract more? Becky

I have 2 Nanho blue, 1 honeycomb, 1 pink delight, 1 unknown (I think it is a baby Nanho blue - I certainly didn't buy it lol), 2 Harlequinns (and mine are slow growers, too), 1 Black Knight, 1 orchid beauty, 1 bicolor, and I just got a Royal Red.

I notice more on the Nanho Blue and Honeycomb, but they are bigger plants. I don't see one they completely avoid. I think the one that gets the least is the pink delight. But they all get action, that's why I like them so much.

What a gorgeous little thing! Thanks for sharing that pic :-)

-Julie

That's quite a list. I have 1 each black knight, nanho blue, honeycomb, white profusion, potter's purple, royal red (both still small), and the harlequin which I will probably move. It hasn't had any flowers this year, so it is not getting what it needs where it is now. I think you're right about the bigger plants attracting them. My nanho blue and honeycomb are the biggest. Both 7-8 ft tall this year. The pic is of the white profusion and I think at Tiger Swallowtail. Becky

Very pretty. I've thought about getting a white, but haven't done that yet. I think the next kind I get will be Empire Blue or Attraction.

Y'all put me to shame. I have a white and a purple one, and I did have a pink one but it died. :( I don't know what their names are.

I was just surfing for butterfly bush on ebay and found one called Guinevere. I think I may bid on it. All my butterfly bushes are out front and my office window is in the back. I get a lot of hummers, but no butterflies. So I think another bush or 2 is needed, don't you??? Becky

Did you see a 12-step program for those with Buddleia addictions? ;)

Maybe Maggie and I can start a support group like they have for Brugs, Hosta and daylilies.

Maggie told me the other day that she'll be without a computer for a week. I'd expect she'll catch up this weekend or next week.

get more buddleia Becky!

In my zone they basically die back to the ground each year. A new variegated I put in last year failed to come back - 'Strawberry Lemonade' I think it was. Then I got tired of waiting for Pink Delight to come back this spring and yanked it. I really liked that one and so did various butterflys. So current inventory:
2 Black Knight, 1 Harlequin (half has reverted to green last 2 years), 1 Honeycomb, 1White Profusion, and 1 blue (forget the exact variety).
It's been kind of slow building up a collection. I've had quite a few never make it through the first winter.

8ft - thanks for the info on Maggie. A week without a computer - I'd probably have withdrawal. Do you want to join in on the buddleia support group? Mine die back (lose their leaves) each winter but usually come back in spring. I cut them back to about 2 ft. Just the harlequin is not growing this year. I may pot it and see what happens. I want a pink delight, too, but will probably get the Guinevere. It looks dark like Black knight, but not quite as vivid. Becky

Oh get 'em both. You'll love Pink delight. I'm going to get another one, thats for sure.

I ordered the Guinevere today. I see Bloomin Designs down the road has Pink Delight. I may call them about it, if it every stops raining enough to do some planting. Everything is covered with crab grass.....

I'm baaaaack! You can never have too many butterfly bushes - its just not possible.... My poor pink delight had a hard time, it was planted too close to the yellow take over monster plant, and I had to dig it up and move it this year, so it could get some sun. So, its still short, but it bushed out nicely. I cut all my bushes almost down to the ground every spring.

How about some pics of these bushes so I can see the difference in them! I forgot I also have a yellow one, which I really do love but it's not in my view.

Sure, I can get some pics. Some are pretty small, because they're new guys. Only 4 are older than this year. I'll try to get to that tomorrow.

I got the guinevere's yesterday in the mail. I thought she would send small sticks. Both are 3ft tall and have flowers (which I'll have to cut off anyway)! I potted them since its still too wet to plant (and raining as I'm typing URGH!). I'm on my work computer, but will post some pics here when I get on the home one. Anxious to see Maggie's too. My big ones are 4 years old now, honeycomb and nanho blue.

Its been raining here, too. Hopefully today I'll get a couple pics.

Well, I was looking thru my pics, and all I have are closeups of the butterfly bushes with butterflies. I'll have to take some shots of the whole bushes one of these days. I did find this one that is relevant - a hummer on a butterfly bush! Becky

Finally found the whole bush shots. I thought I had taken some, they were still in the camera! Here's the nanho blue.

And the honeycomb next to it. (And my 5 gallon weed bucket.) I haven't deadheaded them in awhile so they look ragged. Oh well, at least you can see the size. Becky

Those are nice. I haven't deadheaded for a while, either. I am hoping to take pics Monday. I was reading up on the camera.

OK, here are some pics of the bushes - remember that only 3 of them are established bushes - the pink is about 1 year old, and the rest I just got this year. Pics aren't the best, but here they are:

The three older ones

The pink one:

The bi-color on the left, the orchid beauty on the right:

The three newbise - front one Black Knight, middle Harlequinn, and top one Baby Nanho Blue (I think)

I have another Harlequinn, but it is really tiny, and is hidden by the orchid beauty. I will be moving it today, so it can get some air and sunshine

Those are all very pretty, but I can't see the color of the blooms very well. hint hint. :)

lol ok, ok,,, tomorrow, close-ups....

Great shots. Are the flower spikes (whatever) always that big on the orchid one? My white profusion has the biggest spikes and its not nearly that big. I can see I have some buddleia buying to do. Fill my whole yard with butterfly bushes....

Pic is of Royal Red (small bush, only 2nd year)

Honeycomb with Tiger Swallowtail..

Nanho blue on right, honeycomb with TS on left. They really like both bushes, but I seem to have more pics of the honeycomb.

White profusion and TS (of course)

Black knight. Can't seem to get a good closeup with good color on this one. Maybe Maggie will have better luck with her new camera.

Love your pics! The Orchid beauty I just got this year, and it was real tiny. But it had great roots, and grew big fast. So I'm not sure of its history on the size of the blooms, but all the ones on this plant this year are pretty big. Here are my attempts:

Honeycomb (my oldest plant)