Vanessa cardui

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Description

Family Nymphalidae

'The Nymphalidae are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Distributed worldwide, butterflies of this family are especially rich in the tropics. They are highly variable, and there are more species in this family than in any other. Adults vary in size from small to large, and their front legs are reduced, unable to be used for walking. Wing shape is also highly variable: some species have irregular margins (anglewings and commas), and others have long taillike projections (daggerwings). Browns, oranges, yellows, and blacks are frequent colors, while iridescent colors such as purples and blues are rare. Adults of some groups are the longest-lived butterflies, surviving 6-11 months. Adult feeding behavior depends on the species, where some groups primarily seek flower nectar while others only feed on sap flows , rotting fruit, dung, or animal carcasses. Males exhibit perching and patrolling behaviors when seeking mates. Egg-laying varies widely, as some species lay eggs in clustsers, others in columns, and others singly. Caterpillar appearance and behavior vary widely. Brushfoots overwinter as larvae or adults.

'[1]

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Brushfoots are the most prevalent members of the Family Nymphalinae. Distributed worldwide, this is a diverse group that contains several tribes , each with somewhat different structural and biological features. Adults of North American species are predominantly orange, brown, and black. Wing shape and mating systems are variable. Most checkerspots and crescentspots patrol for mates, while the remainder of groups exhibit either perching or perching and patrolling . Migration varies widely; some strong migrants are found in the lady butterflies, tortoiseshells, and anglewings, while other species are local in occurrence. Most species limit their host plants to a few species, but the Painted Lady has one of the widest host palettes of all butterflies. Eggs are laid singly or clustered in groups, and caterpillars be found feeding alone or communally. Brushfoots overwinter as young caterpillars or hibernating adults.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Anywhere; Meadows, fields , open areas.

Open country; ranging from fields, lawns and gardens, savannas , grassy balds , roadsides, and many other habitats . When found, the Painted Ladies are often seen with American Ladies; of course , the reverse is not usually true! (ref. 104775)

Almost everywhere, especially in open or disturbed areas including gardens, old fields, dunes. (ref. 105971)

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,875 meters (0 to 9,432 feet).[3]

Biology

Diet

The foodplants are a great variety of herbaceous plants , but thistles (Cirsium) are the best known. Nectar plants are varied, with no species particularly important, at least in NC. (ref. 104775)

Caterpillar hosts: More than 100 host plants have been noted; favorites include thistles (Asteraceae), hollyhock and mallow (Malvaceae), and various legumes (Fabaceae). (ref. 105971)

Adult food: The Painted Lady prefers nectar from composites 3-6 feet high, especially thistles; also aster, cosmos, blazing star, ironweed, and joe-pye weed . Flowers from other families that are visited include red clover, buttonbush, privet, and milkweeds. (ref. 105971)

Reproduction

Barrel-shaped pale green eggs are laid singly on thistle (Cirsium), Aster or mallow. Caterpillars range up to 1¼"(35mm). Their color varies from purple with yellow back stripe to chartreuse with black marbled appearance . Chrysalis 1" (25mm) pale green to brown, bumpy, hangs upside down .

Migration

Even though the Painted Lady cannot overwinter in any stage above a certain (undetermined) latitude , it is perhaps the most widespread butterfly in the world. It is found throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Most of North America has no Painted Ladies at all between the first hard frosts of winter and the advent of spring . In February and March, they begin emigrating from their wintering grounds in the Southwest and perhaps other warm regions; by late spring they have repopulated the entire continent. Unlike the Monarch butterfly's round trip migrations, the Painted Ladies only travel one way. The number of butterflies varies greatly from year to year, although no one knows why. Various theories have been advanced : parasite population swings, host plant variations , nectar availability due to abundance of rain or lack thereof.

Behavior

Flight: Two or more broods; year-round in south, April-June until frost in north.

Flight period: The flight period, or better stated "occurrence period", in NC is very wide. They have been recorded from late March into early January, but flight periods, of which there must be about three broods, need elucidation. Even though the species is a migrant, the first brood migrants obviously lay eggs in the state, and several broods of butterflies certainly are raised locally (as butterflies in summer and fall often are fresh). In general, individuals seen through June are rather worn, suggesting that they are migrants from the Southwest. (ref. 104775)

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Volkman L.E., Blissard G.W., Friesen P., Keddie B .A., Possee R., Theilmann D.A., 01-Oct-2005

Similar Species

American Painted Lady has large eyespots below. West Coast Lady has orange bar across black patch.

Note that on the top surface of the forewing, Painted Ladies lack a white spot in the outer orange area and note the pattern of the basal black spots. On the underside of the hindwing, note 4-5 small eyespots. (American Ladies have 2 large eyespots below, and their dorsal surfaces usually have a white spot and a different black spot pattern.)

Members of the genus Vanessa

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 10 species and subspecies in this genus:

V. altissima (Andean Lady) · V. annabella (West Coast Lady) · V. atalanta (Red Admiral) · V. atalanta atalanta (Red Admiral) · V. braziliensis (Brazilian Lady) · V. cardui (Cosmopolite) · V. indica (Indian Painted Lady) · V. indica indica (Indian Painted Lady) · V. tameamea (Kamehameha Butterfly) · V. virginiensis (American Lady)

More Info

• Search for Pictures: images.google.com
• Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Further Reading

• Butterflies and Moths of North America.
• Cretzschmar, Philipp Jakob (1829): pp. 39-48 V and ouml;gel - Atlas zu der Reise im n and ouml;rdlichen Afrika von Eduard R and uuml;ppell. - In: Atlas zu der Reise im n and ouml;rdlichen Afrika von Eduard R and uuml;ppell (Heinrich Ludwig Br and ouml;nner ed.), Frankfurt am Main, pp. 39-48 [plates XXVI-II]

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fredericton Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St. Johns, Newfoundland
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Atlantic Forestry Centre Insect Reference Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Butterflies and Skippers of Alberta Project
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Canadian National Collection
• of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Crispin S. Guppy Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Crispin S. Guppy Observational Records
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Donald F. Hooper Butterfly collection, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, E.C. Manning Park Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Great Lakes Forestry Centre Insect Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Jeff Ogden Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Lyman Entomological Museum
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, M. Gollop Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, McMaster University Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Memorial University Botanical Garden Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Memorial University Department of Biology Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, New Brunswick Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Norbert Kondla Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Northern Forestry Centre Arthropod Collection, Edmonton
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Subenacadie, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, Halifax, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Point Pelee National Park Collection, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Provincial Museum of Alberta
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Ross A. Layberry Observations
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Royal British Columbia Museum Entomology Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Spencer Entomological Museum
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Guelph, Department of Environmental Biology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of New Brunswick Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Saskatchewan
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, University of Western Ontario Collection
• University of Navarra, Museum of Zoology, Museum of Zoology, University of Navarra

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 6056302
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-188601
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 5165859
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 188601
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: IILEPK7020
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 16250

Footnotes

1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=18&sci=Nymphalidae&com=Brush-footed Butterflies [back]
2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Editha&search=Search [back]
3. Mean = 273.770 meters (898.196 feet), Standard Deviation = 429.690 based on 4,700 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.