Painted Lady Butterfly

Vanessa cardui

Facts: The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is a well-known colourful butterfly, known in North America as the Cosmopolite. It's also known as the Thistle Butterfly because the caterpillars like to feed on thistle plants or as the Cosmopolitan because it is the most widely distributed butterfly in the world. The American Painted Lady (V. virginiensis) is most easily distinguishable by its two large eyespots on the ventral side, whereas cardui has four small eyespots. Migration: The Painted Lady is a long-distance migrant, which causes the most spectacular butterfly migrations observed in Britain and Ireland. Adults from northern Europe migrate to the desert fringes of North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia. Painted Lady adults from colder areas of North America migrate south to overwinter in Mexico. Learn more about the Painted Lady.

Copyright © 1996 Tim Knight