American lady facts for kids
Quick facts for kids American painted lady |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The American painted lady or American lady (Vanessa virginiensis) is a beautiful butterfly. You can find it all over North America.
Its caterpillars (larvae) eat different kinds of plants. These include cudweeds, pussytoes, and everlastings. These plants are all part of the daisy family. You can find this butterfly at all stages of its life in many parts of temperate North America. It also lives in the Madeira Islands and the Canary Islands. Sometimes, you might even spot one in southwest Europe! It has also been brought to Hawaii, where it is one of four types of Vanessa butterflies.
Contents
What Does the American Lady Look Like?
The American painted lady butterfly is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide. It's easiest to tell this butterfly apart from others by looking at the underside of its wings. It has two large eyespots there. Other similar butterflies, like the painted lady (V. cardui), have four small eyespots. The West Coast lady (V. annabella) has no eyespots at all on the underside.
The American painted lady also has a special white dot. This dot is found in a pink area on the underside of its front wings. You can usually see it in the orange part on the top side of the wing too.
The largest spot on the black tips of its front wings is pale orange. In the V. cardui, this spot is white. In the West Coast lady, it's orange. The West Coast lady also has a brighter orange color on the top of its wings. The American painted lady has a darker, more reddish orange color.
Another way to identify them is by the row of black eyespots on the back wings. In the American painted lady, the eyespots at each end of the row are often bigger. They also have blue "pupils" inside them.
Why is it Called "Painted Lady"?
The name "painted lady" was used a long time ago in England. Naturalists like James Petiver used it for a similar butterfly, Vanessa cardui. Petiver even called it "Papilio Bella donna dicta," which means "beautiful lady butterfly."
For a while, the American painted lady was also called "Hunter's butterfly." A scientist named Fabricius named it Papilio huntera. He likely named it after his friend and fellow collector, William Hunter.
Gallery
-
Underside of wings
-
Some butterflies might not have the extra white spot on their front wing.
-
Ventral side (underside)
-
An adult butterfly resting on a flower.
-
An American lady butterfly caterpillar in Wooster, Ohio, United States.
Images for kids
-
An American lady butterfly on a purple coneflower in Brooklyn, New York.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Vanessa virginiensis para niños
