Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady, Distelfalter, La Belle Dame)

Vanessa cardui, also called Painted Lady or Distelfalter is a common butterfly from Palaearctic ecozone (Europe). The first description was in 1758 by Linnaeus. With a wingspan of 5.0– 6.5 cm the Painted Lady is a small member of the family NYMPHALIDAE. The butterfly is brown and has black and white spots. The Painted Lady is a migrant butterfly with a nearly worldwide distribution.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer, 10.09.2006

: Photo © by Mario Maier (Mario.Maier@butterflies.de)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 23.07.6 Botanic Garden Vienna

These are nice photos of Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady, Distelfalter, La Belle Dame). Vanessa cardui is a member of the family NYMPHALIDAE from Palaearctic (Europe).

Description

The forewings are brown. On the wing leading edge there is a big white spot. The pinion is black and there is a chain of little white spots. There is a chain of big, black spots on the wing.
The underside is a copy from upside, but there are some differences. The pinion is grey. Nearby the body there is a pink area.

The hind wings are brown. At the margin there are three chains of black spots. In the middle of the wing there is a black spot.
The underside is brown and marmorate. At the margin there is a chain of little eyes.

The body is brown.

Sex differences: None

Distribution

The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui ) is a global player among butterflies. The distribution include all ecozones without the Neotropic ecozone. You can see the Red Admiral until 2000 m sea level.

: This world map shows the ecozones in which this butterfly is distributed.

Flight period

The flight period of the Painted Lady is from May to September.

Larval food

Thistle, Stinging-nettle, Bur, Coltsfood

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

General information

The first description of this butterfly was in 1758 by Linnaeus. There are no subspecies.

The caterpillar is grey, green or black and it is thorny. The pupa has no silken girdl. This species overwinters as imago.

Protection provisions / Red List

CITES: (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):

-no entry- (as at 23.06.2005)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry- (as at 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry- (as at 2004) (see: www.redlist.org/)
Red List of endangered species of Austria:

-not endangered (category +)- (see: www.roteliste.at/)
Regulation of the Viennese regional government:

-protected as imago- (see: www.wien.gv.at/recht/landesrecht-wien/rechtsvorschriften/html/l4800200.htm)

Similar and closely-related species

Vanessa atalanta [Linnaeus, 1758] (Red Admiral, Admiral, Le Vulcain)

Scientific name

Vanessa cardui Linnaeus 1758

Synonym

Painted Lady
Distelfalter
La Belle-Dame, La Vanessa des Chardons
Bella Dama o Cardero
Tistelfjäril; Tistelfuks
Ohdakeperhonen
Distelvlinder
Tidselsommerfugl
Tistelsommerfugl
Rusałka osetnik
Babočka bodláková
Babôčka bodliaková