Painted Lady (Mt. Diablo Butterflies)

Painted Lady

Vanessa cardui

Description ⁴

Size: 54-58 mm. Unmistakable.The forewings are brown. On the wing leading edge there is a big white spot. The wing is black and there is a chain of little white spots. There is a chain of big, black spots on the wing. The underside is a copy from upside, but there are some differences. The wing is grey. Nearby the body there is a pink area. The hind wings are brown. At the margin there are three chains of black spots. In the middle of the wing there is a black spot. The underside is brown and marmorate. At the margin there is a chain of little eyes. The body is brown. Sex differences: None. The caterpillar reaches 2.8 cm in length, has a black body with white dots, yellowish-black spines, and a yellow line along each side .

Distribution ⁵

V. cardui is one of the most widespread of all butterflies, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. In Australia, V. cardui has a limited range around Bunbury, Fremantle, and Rottnest Island. However, its close relative, the Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi, sometimes considered a subspecies) ranges over half the continent. Other closely related species are the American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) and the West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella).

Host plants ⁵

Larvae feed on Asteraceae spp., including Cirsium, Carduus,Centaurea, Arctium, Helianthus, and Artemisia spp.

The painted lady uses over 300 recorded host plants according to the HOSTS database. For raising in the classroom one need only sprout a bed of black oil sunflower seeds, as are used for bird seed. The caterpillars will eat the true adult leave (not the sprouts) and in this way one may inexpensively produce many host plants. Soak the seeds for eight hours in 10% diluted household bleach (1 pt bleach, 9 pts water) to ensure a disease free, even sprouting. Place the seeds upon the surface of the soil and keep moist until they grow roots and can be watered normally.