Names and Taxonomy
- Common Names: Painted Lady
- Synonyms: Papilio cardui Linnaeus, 1758
- Order: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Family: Pieridae (Whites and Sulfers)
- Genus Information: nk species in NV, nk in CA, 2 in US
Vanessa cardui
Painted Lady
Introduction:
It is a medium-sized, migratory butterfly known for its distinctive orange, black, and white patterned wings and its worldwide distribution across continents except South America and Antarctica. It is a common visitor to gardens and open areas, feeding on nectar from various flowers and fruit. Orange-brown with black markings and white spots on the forewings. The hindwings have a row of small black spots. The underside is mottled with gray, brown, and black, featuring four small eyespots near the edge of the hindwing.
Life Cycle: The butterfly's life cycle includes a spiny caterpillar stage that feeds on host plants like thistles before transforming into a chrysalis and emerging as an adult. Painted Ladies are migratory, with populations moving north from deserts in Mexico and the southwestern U.S. to colonize other parts of North America annually. The adult lifespan is 14-28 days.
Size 2-3 inches (5-9 cm)
Sexual Dimorphism: females are generally slightly larger and possess a rounder, broader abdomen, while males have thinner, straighter abdomens and a structure called claspers at the end of their bodies which are absent in females
Metamorphosis: complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult)
