Detailed information on American Painted Lady, Painted Beauty, Virginia Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)

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AFinSD

San Diego, CA | February 2016 | Positive

I have seen this butterfly periodically in San Diego, and more notably on a trip to the Living Desert in Palm Desert.

The Living Desert has an enclosed butterfly exhibit. While there, a Painted Lady landed on my right sock.

The experience was magic!

S

SusanLouise

Lincoln, NE (Zone 5b) | August 2009 | Positive

We usually just see the Painted Lady butterflies in our gardens. this was our very 1st American Lady...What a thrill! I'm glad I took a second look...from a distance it looked just like a Painted Lady. Glad I took a pic (I posted it) to allow me to see it's two large circled areas on it's lower wings...

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DMgardener

(Daniel) Mount Orab, OH (Zone 6b) | January 2009 | Positive

This flying flower is Glorious! They adore feeding from Zinnias and they are very shy. But, I can not get more than 2ft. within them, let alone hold them! I can make many butterflies and moths perch from my fingers and feed from the flowers at the same time. But this one can not stand people or even small frogs and animals!!!

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Kelli

L.A. (Canoga Park), CA (Zone 10a) | August 2008 | Positive

From "Insects of the Los Angeles Basin"

"This species has the widest distribution of any butterfly in the world and is migratory like the Monarch; it's migration routes and frequencies, however, are not as well defined nor as well studied. Mass flights of this species though the Los Angeles area have occurred fairly often. A very heavy flight took place in the winter and spring of 1958, when tens of thousands of Painted Ladies passed through the basin in a northwest direction. The place of origin of these migrants is not known, but they probably develop during wet years in northern Mexico. Evidence for a return flight in the fall is scanty."

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sueatkins

Brooksville, FL | May 2007 | Neutral

I don't believe this buttfly is endangered, at least not at this time. And I believe that is because it has a diverse list of host plants which virtually available all over the world.

In my area, the weed they use as host plant is cudweed. Yes, I let it grow in my garden. In spring as the cudweed begins to stress over the heat, I start to look for the caterpillar nests in the fuzzy flower tips.I have read that they are the clowns of the gardens. They certainly seem so with their antics.

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IrisLover79

Westchester, IL (Zone 5b) | September 2006 | Positive

Pretty little butterflies. In my 8th grade science class, we had a type of netted bag with cocoons inside. We watched the caterpillars turn into cocoons and then the cocoons turn into butterflies. We released the butterflies at the end of the semester, so I'm assuming they're good guys or endangered in some way.

~Kristy

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melody

Benton, KY (Zone 7a) | July 2006 | Positive

A pretty little butterfly with a wingspan of up to 2".

found throughout the US and southern Canada.

The caterpillar is velvety black with black spines, narrow yellow-green crossbands and white spots on the sides. It feeds on the foliage of composite flowers, especially everlastings and forget-me-nots

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Todd_Boland

St. John's, NL (Zone 5b) | July 2006 | Positive

A fairly common butterfly in Newfoundland. Adults emerge in August. Their host plant are thistles so they are the good guys in my books! I grew an Onopordum (Scotch Thistle) last year and they devoured it....oh well, at least the thistle was good for something.

American Painted Lady, Painted Beauty, Virginia Lady

Vanessavirginiensis

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