American Painted Lady Butterfly, Vanessa virginiensis

Larval food sources utilized by the American Painted Lady

Plants in the Asteraseae including California Pearly everlasting Gnaphalium sp. and Pearly everlasting, Anaphalis margaretnsis. They both have white flowers that keep their color and shape when dried, in a similar fashion as stalk.

Habitat of the American Painted Lady Butterfly

The American Painted Lady likes moist open areas such as meadows fields and open riparian areas as well as coastal areas with low plant material. A native perennial garden is a common patrol ground.

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The American Painted Lady is similar to the Painted Lady

and the West Coast Lady. To distinguish them quickly look to the wing trips. They differ in the size, shape, and distribution of their spots. The American Painted Lady has two blue dots divided by two black dots on the hind wing. On the for wing four white dots at the wing tips the middle two are higher and smaller than the outer ones. Also look at the long tear shaped spot below these.

Also like many species in this family the front legs are mush reduced. They get around on their back pairs. Making them look like a very odd four legged insect.

Adult food sources utilized by the American Painted Lady

The adult American Painted Lady sips nectar from various Milkweeds, Asclepias spp., as well as the very showy yellow flowered perennial Golden Rod, Solidago spp. and the clumping white flowered perennial Marsh Bacchari, Baccharis douglasii. Both Milkweed and Marsh Baccharis are also popular with many other butterflies as well as colorful beetle. Butterfly mint, Monardella sp is also popular with the American Painted Lady. They also like to visit Buckwheat Eriogonum species.