American (Painted) Lady

  • Family name: Nymphalidae/Brush-Footed Butterflies
  • General description: Orange with black markings; black forewing extended and squared-off with small white spots; hindwing with postmedian row of small black eyespots; ventral hindwing woth white cobweb pattern and two prominent eyespots
  • Field Marks: Orange with black markings; ventral hindwing with two prominent eyespots
  • Sexes: Appear similar
  • Wingspan: 54- 66 mm
  • Life Cycle: Egg: Small, green, laid singly on host leaves or flowers Mature larva: Yellow with transverse black bands, dorsal white spots, and numerous red-based black branched spines Chrysalis: Mottled gray or yellow-green
  • Number of Generations: 100
  • Flight Season:
  • Abundance: Common
  • Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides, fields, pastures, woodland margins
  • Larval Host Plants: Cudweed (Gnaphalium spp.)
  • Similar Species: No similar species
  • Additional Information: Adults have a low, rapid flight; adults overwinter; larvae construct individual shelters on host. Range is limited in Montana.
  • Range in Florida

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