The painted lady, with its distinctive orange, black and white-spotted wings, is one of the best-known and most widespread of all butterflies. Nicknamed the cosmopolitan in North America, the painted lady is found on every continent except South America. It is a strong flyer capable of long-distance migrations from north Africa, the Middle East and central Asia to Britain and Ireland. Adults may be seen in any habitat but prefer well-lit, open environments such as meadows with plenty of thistles, which are preferred nectar sources for adults and also foodplants for caterpillars.

Did you know:Painted ladies excrete a red liquid when they emerge which used to be mistaken for blood. It is actually meconium, a waste material produced during metamorphosis.

More...