Painted Lady Butterflies

Vanessa Sp.

The first time I became aware of Painted Lady Butterflies was shortly after I moved to Los Angeles, maybe 2016. There was a massive Painted Lady migration. They were everywhere!  You couldn’t walk outside without feeling like you were in a Disney movie. I had always assumed that all orange and black butterflies were Monarchs, the only butterfly I knew by name. I was sure wrong. West Coast Ladies (Vanessa Annabella), the species I saw migrating, were much smaller than Monarchs, and have a different range and ecological niche. West Coast Ladies are found in Western North America, and their host plant, the one on which they lay their eggs and caterpillars eat, is usually a species of mallow.

American Ladies (Vanessa virginiensis) are found in the Southern US, south to Central America, as well as on the West Coast. I’m likely to see this species of Lady here in Kansas. Their host plants are often sunflowers.

Painted Ladies (Vanessa cardui) are one of if not the most widespread butterfly in the world. They are found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. It is crazy to think I may have seen one when I was living in the UK, Africa, or Italy and not known it! They are very adaptable. They have over 100 known host plants!
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I have no idea how to tell the three species apart, especially as they are flitting by my face. The differences can be a subtle as a single white spot. Maybe if a butterfly was sitting on a flower with their wings open long enough for me to snap a photo to later compare to my butterfly books, I could tell them apart. For now, I just appreciate that a beautiful Lady has just passed my way.

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