Fauna Flora Photography

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

Papilionibus > Lepidoptera > Nymphalidae

Names in different Languages

GermanDistelfalter
EnglishPainted Lady
FrenchBelle-Dame, Vanesse des chardons
SpanishVanesa de los cardos

Description

The Painted Lady is one of the most widespread butterflies, except Australia, South America and Antarctica, and can be spotted usually in warmer areas but migrates North in Spring. Migration patterns are erratic, so that the species doesn’t appear abundantly every year in the Montreal area.

How to Identify

To identify this species, a ventral view is necessary as the series of smaller spots on the hindwing is a distinguishable characteristics if compared with similar species like the American Lady..

Where When to Spot

They appear in waves, passing through an area on their migratory pathways, but not regularly every year. I observed them in autumn 2017 in Rapids Park Lachine. You may want to subscribe to our Facebook page. I will notify when I see them.

Photos

Observations

2017-09-23Parc des Rapides
2017-09-16Parc des Rapides