American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis
American Painted Lady
Description 1 3/4-2 1/8" (44-54 mm). FW tip extended, rounded. Above, pinkish-orange with black marks across FW; margins black-spotted and FW tip has white spots; row of black-rimmed blue spots crosses outer HW. Underside has complex pattern of olive, black, and white, dominated by large bright pink area on FW and 2 large blue eyespots in olive field on HW.
Similar Species Other 2 painted ladies have only small blue eyespots below.
Life Cycle Egg yellowish-green, barrel-shaped; laid singly. Caterpillar, to 1 3/8" (35 mm), black with yellow crossbands and white to rust-colored spots; makes solitary nest of silk and leaves on species of everlastings (Gnaphalium, Antennaria, Anaphalis) or other composites. Gold-spotted brown chrysalis, to 7/8" (22 mm), is often formed in nest. Reported to overwinter as adult or chrysalis.
Flight 2 or 3 broods; summer-fall.
Habitat Sunny, flowery open spots, sandy wastes, gardens, streambeds, riversides, and canyons.
Range Subarctic North America south to Mexico; quite common in East, rarer in West; naturalized in Hawaii.
Discussion Of the painted ladies and their close relative the Red Admiral, this species seems to be the most tolerant of cold, and is quite likely the only one able to overwinter in the North. Its numbers fluctuate, although the American Painted Lady does not emigrate in the impressive numbers of the other 2 painted ladies. While common in the East, its numbers nonetheless never seem very large in any area; in much of the West its appearances are quite unpredictable. The American Painted Lady was formerly called V. huntera; this species and the other painted ladies are sometimes grouped in their own genus, Cynthia. Here Cynthia is regarded as a subgenus of Vanessa.
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