Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
This record describes Vanessa cardui (species). Recorded family: Nymphalidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A newly emerged adult is flushed with a beautiful salmon-pink and is a most-beautiful insect. This colouring, however, fades rapidly with the passage of time. The species has slightly pointed wing tips and the white marks on the black tips of the forewings help to distinguish the species from the tortoiseshells. This butterfly can be found almost anywhere, from the seashore and town gardens, to the tops of the highest mountains. This is one of the few species that can breed in intensive farmland since even these sites typically contain a patch of thistles, the primary food plant of this species. This species is a migrant to our shores and, in some years, the migration can be spectacular. 2026 is proving to be an exceptional year, with sightings from all over the British Isles that are definitely on a par with previous cardui years. Adults are first seen in late March as they migrate from the Continent and numbers build up in May and June as further migrants arrive. These breed and give rise to the next generation that peaks between mid-August and early October. There may be more than one brood in the British Isles each year - depending largely on the weather. This butterfly is continuously brooded on the Continent but it seems unable to survive our winter in any stage. It is thought that some individuals may make an attempt at a return migration in the autumn. This butterfly has a strong flight and can be found anywhere in the British Isles. An interesting fact is that this butterfly is the only species recorded from Iceland. Mystery of Painted Lady migration solved!
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Terms from the source record, grouped for readability. Broad terms such as size or location are not measurements or a confirmed range.
Wikipedia reference for Vanessa cardui: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa cardui.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- Subfamily
- Nymphalinae
- Tribe
- Nymphalini
- Genus
- Vanessa (Ladies and Related Admirals)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This butterfly can be found almost anywhere, from the seashore and town gardens, to the tops of the highest mountains. This is one of the few species that can breed in intensive farmland since even these sites typically contain a patch of thistles, the primary food plant of this species.
Seasonal Activity
Mainly March to October.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
This species is a migrant to our shores and, in some years, the migration can be spectacular. 2026 is proving to be an exceptional year, with sightings from all over the British Isles that are definitely on a par with previous
Additional species information
Recorded status
This butterfly has a strong flight and can be found anywhere in the British Isles. An interesting fact is that this butterfly is the only species recorded from Iceland.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Vanessa cardui. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Frequently Asked Questions About Painted Lady
What is Painted Lady?
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is a species in the family Nymphalidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Painted Lady?
50mm to 73mm (1.96" to 2.87")
Where is Painted Lady found?
Habitat: This butterfly can be found almost anywhere, from the seashore and town gardens, to the tops of the highest mountains. This is one of the few species that can breed in intensive farmland since even these sites typically contain a patch of thistles, the primary food plant of this species.
When is Painted Lady active?
Painted Lady: seasonal activity - Mainly March to October..
What is the life cycle of a Painted Lady?
This species is a migrant to our shores and, in some years, the migration can be spectacular. 2026 is proving to be an exceptional year, with sightings from all over the British Isles that are definitely on a par with previous