Painted Lady

Vanessa cardui

Identification: Medium—2.2” (slightly larger than American Lady). Above: FW and HW orange and black with a few white spots in black FW apex. Best told from American Lady by connected black marks on inner FW forming an arc that encloses orange. Also lacks the small white spot in orange square along mid-FW usually seen in American Lady. Below: HW mottled dark and light brown and white, with 4 blue-centered eyespots along wing margin; lacks pale band across midwing seen in American Lady, which has 2 much larger eyespots.

NJ Status and Distribution: Nonresident. Each year irrupts northward from Mexico in spring to repopulate the U.S. and Canada. Abundance can vary from common to almost nonexistent.

Habitat: Open, sunny, fields. Easily attracted to gardens with flowers such as milkweed, Butterfly Bush, Purple Coneflower, Mistflower, sedum, and asters.

Flight Period: Early April into December but mainly June to October. Extreme dates: North Jersey 4/5—12/22; South Jersey 4/8—12/19.

Caterpillar Food Plants: Numerous plants in some 10 families, with thistles (Carduus and Cirsium) a particular favorite.

Overwintering Stage: Does not overwinter in NJ.

Good Locations: Any open areas during irruptions.

Comments: Can be super-abundant some years in Western states.

Kittatinny Valley SP, Sussex Co., NJ, 8/12/23, on Red Clover.

Andover Twp., Sussex Co., NJ, 10/28/17, on Zinnia.

Wildcat Ridge WMA, Morris Co., NJ, 6/27/12, on Crownvetch.

Cape May Point, Cape May Co., NJ, 10/17/14

The native Swamp Thistle (Cirsium muticum), one of many species of caterpillar food plants in various families used by Painted Lady.