The Painted Lady is one of the most widespread butterfly species in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. With wings open, it displays orangish brown upper wings accented by bold black patches and white spots near the tips of the forewings. When the wings are closed, the undersides reveal a beautifully marbled pattern of gray, black, and brown, highlighted by four distinct black spots near the center of the hindwings, features that help with camouflage among rocks and dried leaves.

 

“Painted Lady” by David Marvin, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Painted Lady Facts

Butterfly Family: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Nymphalinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 2 – 2 7/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Almost everywhere, especially in open or disturbed areas including gardens, old fields, and dunes

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis)

• Hoary Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canescens)

• Illinois Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis)

• Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)

• Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

• Sensitive Pea (Chamaecrista nictitans)

• Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense)

• White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida)

• Wild Senna (Senna hebecarpa)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

• Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)

• Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

• Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

• Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

• Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Thistle (Cirsium discolor)

• Vervain (Verbena spp.)