The Butterflies of the World Foundation
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Vanessa cardui, larva on thistle, Cirsium sp., Pasture 12, Little Missouri National
Grassland, McKenzie County, North Dakota, 16 July 2005 Ref #: I-
Vanessa cardui, freshly deposited egg on thistle, Cirsium sp., Wichita Mountains
National Wildlife Refuge, Comanche County, Oklahoma, 23 April 2007 Ref
#: I-
Vanessa cardui, larva on thistle, Cirsium sp., Pasture 12, Little Missouri National
Grassland, McKenzie County, North Dakota, 16 July 2005 Ref
#: I-
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui, Linnaeus, 1758
Subfamily Nymphalinae
Tribe Nymphalini
Taxonomy
The family Nymphalidae is the largest butterfly family and includes about 6,000 species which are further divided up into 12 subfamilies. The common name for the family is the Brushfoots or Brushfooted Butterflies. This strange name is because the first pair of legs are significantly reduced, sometimes to mere stubs, and look like little brushes. Some of the most common and well known species are in this group such as the Monarch, Red Admiral, Blue Morpho and Painted Lady. Some of the longest lived butterflies are in this family with some species living over 10 months as adults. The Brushfoots are distributed worldwide, with the highest diversity found in the tropics. With this variety, there is also quite a difference in behavior, adult food choices and habitat preference from species to species.
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Vanessa cardui, Kirtland Air Force Base, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 1 October 1997
Ref
#: I-
Vanessa cardui, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 22
August 2008 Ref
#: I-
Vanessa cardui, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 26
September 2005 Ref
#: I-
Vanessa cardui, Pine Flat Picnic Area, Manzano Mountains, Cibola National Forest,
Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 1 August 1999 Ref
#: I-
Vanessa cardui, Forest Road 55 near Forth of July Campground, Manzano Mountains, Cibola National Forest, Torrance County, New Mexico, 17 August 2010
Ref
#: I-
General Information:
Vanessa cardui belongs to the subfamily Nymphalinae. This species is the most widespread butterfly in the world. One of its other common names is the Cosmopolitan. It is found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. From the deserts of northern Mexico, the Painted Lady migrates and temporarily colonizes the United States and Canada south of the Arctic. Occasionally, population explosions in Mexico will cause massive northward migrations. This species can be found in almost any habitat, especially in open or disturbed areas including gardens, old fields and dunes.
Lifecycle:
The larval food source includes many plants in several families. More than 100 host plants have been noted and they include thistles in the family Asteraceae, hollyhock and mallow in the family Malvaceae and various legumes in the family Fabaceae. Males perch and patrol during the afternoon for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on the tops of host plant leaves. Caterpillars live in silk nests and eat leaves.
Vanessa cardui, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 9
May 2012 Ref
#: I-
Vanessa cardui, larva on thistle, Cirsium sp., Lexington Wildlife Management Area,
Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 9 May 2012 Ref
#: I-
Vanessa cardui, larva on thistle, Cirsium sp., Pontotoc Ridge Preserve, Pontotoc
County, Oklahoma, 19 May 2012 Ref
#: I-