| Vanessa carduii (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Status: Common to abundant breeding colonist. |
| Flight Period(s): Probably two or more broods. Nebraska records span a 21 March – 16 November time frame. |
| Range: Eurasia, Africa, North and South America. In North America it survives winters in northern Mexico on a regular basis, and north of there as conditions permit. From there it colonizes northern areas up to Alaska and northern Canada. It can be found statewide in Nebraska. |
| Larval Hostplant(s): Mainly utilizes thistles (Cirsium species), although legumes (including soybeans) and a wide variety of other plants are also eaten. |
| Overwinter: As adults or pupae where conditions permit. |
| Commentary/Habitat: The Painted Lady is one of our most abundant butterflies, and is one of the more frequently encountered species in suburban settings. Adults take nectar at a wide variety of flowers in a number of diverse habitats, but flock to butterfly bush (Budellia) blossoms in the fall. Autumnal return flights south and southwest have been noted in some portions of North America, but have not been recorded in Nebraska. |
| Similar Species: Ventrally the Painted Lady has five blackish spots/eyespots on the ventral hindwing while the American Lady has two large spots. On the uncommon West Coast Lady the subapical bar on upper side of the forewing is orange, while it is white on the Painted Lady. |
