Sonoma County Butterflies

West Coast Lady

The West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella) is one of three North American species of brush-footed butterflies known colloquially as the "painted ladies". V. annabella occurs throughout much of the western US and south western Canada. The other two species are the cosmopolitan Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady) and the eastern Vanessa virginiensis (American ...more ↓

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral or Vanessa atalanta (previously also known as Pyrameis atalanta) is a well-known colourful butterfly, found in temperate Europe, Asia and North America. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates north in spring, and sometimes again in autumn.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is a well-known colourful butterfly, sometimes known in North America as the Cosmopolitan. This butterfly has a strange pattern of flying in a sort of screw shape.

Edited by Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)