Species: Painted Lady (Vanessa Cynthia cardui)
Family: Fritillaries, Nymphalids and Browns (NYMPHALIDAE)
Category: Butterflies & Moths
Location: NW
A. Butterflies & Moths
B. Fritillaries, Nymphalids and Browns (NYMPHALIDAE)
This is a large family containing many of our most colourful and familiar butterflies. Many are strong fliers, with a flapping flight interspersed with glides and swoops. The Fritillaries are predominantly orange with dark markings, and the Browns largely brown, but the Nymphalids have a range of colours.
C. Painted Lady (Vanessa Cynthia cardui)
This hardy migrant is Iceland's only butterfly and can arrive in the UK in huge numbers from North Africa and the Middle East. It loves basking in the sun, and its eggs are laid on thistles, Common Nettles, mallows, and Viper's Bugloss. The black and grey caterpillars have a continuous yellow line along the sides. The adults may be seen from April until October, the sexes being similar.
Images
Painted Lady
This hardy migrant is Iceland's only butterfly and can arrive in the UK in huge numbers from North Africa and the Middle East.
Painted Lady
The Painted Lady loves basking in the sun, and its eggs are laid on thistles, nettles, mallows, and Viper's Bugloss.
