West Coast lady facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Coast lady |
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Cynthia annabella Field, 1971 |
The West Coast lady (Vanessa annabella) is a type of butterfly found in North America. It is one of three butterflies often called "painted ladies" in this region. You can find the West Coast lady across much of the western United States and southwestern Canada. The other two related butterflies are the common painted lady (Vanessa cardui) and the eastern American painted lady (Vanessa virginiensis). Sometimes, the West Coast lady has been thought to be a subspecies of the South American butterfly, Vanessa carye. Its name is also often misspelled as "anabella".
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How to Spot a West Coast Lady Butterfly
It can be tricky to tell the three "painted lady" butterflies apart. But the West Coast lady has some special features that help it stand out from the other two North American species.
Looking at the Wings
One easy way to tell the West Coast lady apart is by looking at the underside of its hindwings. It does not have clear eyespots there. The American painted lady (V. virginiensis) has two large eyespots. The common painted lady (V. cardui) has four small ones.
The West Coast lady also does not have a white dot on the pink-orange part of its front wings. Both the top and bottom of its front wings show this. Its upper wings are a very bright orange color. The American painted lady usually has a more reddish color.
Black Eyespots on Hindwings
Another way to identify them is by looking at the row of black eyespots on the top, outer edge of the hindwing. In the common painted lady (V. cardui), these eyespots are usually about the same size. They also do not have blue centers. However, butterflies born in summer might have a few tiny blue spots.
For the West Coast lady and the American painted lady, usually two of these eyespots are larger. They also have clearer blue centers. In the American painted lady, the eyespots at each end of the row are usually the largest. But for the West Coast lady, the two middle eyespots are the biggest.
See also
In Spanish: Vanessa annabella para niños
