Habitat
The Painted Lady is found almost anywhere, but
they tend to inhabit brightly lighted and open
environments. They prefer clover fields, flowery
meadows and hilly country. Marshes, dunes, and
thorn scrubs also attract the Painted Lady.
Physical Description
The Painted Lady has a pointed
forewing which bears a distinct
white bar. The hindwing has a
submarginal row of 5 tiny black
dots. The upperside of the
freshly emerged butterfly is
orange with rose-like overtones.
The underside is a mottled gray,
brown, and black.
Development
Females lay eggs
on the plants
their babies
will eat. The
caterpillars
that hatch out
feed
continuously and
molt several
times. After a
few weeks they
transform into a
pupa, go through
a complete
metamorphosis,
and emerge as an
adult butterfly.
The timing of
this depends on
the climate, the
warmer it is the
faster they
grow.
Reproduction
Breeding season
All year in the tropics, spring and summer in cooler climates.
All year in the tropics, spring and summer in cooler climates.
A green, barrel-shaped egg is laid singly on a host plant. The color of the larva varies from chartreuse with black marbling to a purple with a yellow hue.
Behavior
The Painted Lady is well known for its migratory behavior. It is continuously brooded and does not disperse. Adult males will perch in the late afternoon to establish and defend a territory. However, a male does not selectively perch on species of plants that serve as larval hosts. Almost always males win exclusive use of their defended areas.
Food Habits
The Painted lady consumes more than 100 different plants, some include thistles, Burdock, and Groundsel. The Larval foodplants are thistles and members of the families Asteraceae and Malvaceae.
Lifespan/Longevity
Lifespan depends on the climate, but is probably never more than one winter. Only adults survive through winter, and even then only in mild climates.
Predation
Adult painted ladies' main defenses are flight and camouflage. The caterpillars hide in small silk nests on top of leaves, and may have chemical defenses, but this is uncertain
Other Comments
The Painted Lady is also known as the Thistle Butterfly because of its strong liking for thistles, and the Cosmopolitan for its worldwide distribution.
