Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
Last reviewed: May 2026
Painted Lady is known for its Orange wings with intricate black and white patterns.
Host plants
Painted Lady caterpillars can only develop on their larval host plants. Plant one of these natives and you can host the full life cycle in your own yard (host plant associations per the Xerces Society (opens in new tab)).
- Urtica dioica — see Heartleaf Nettle (same genus)
- Cirsium arvense — see Texas Thistle (same genus)
- Trifolium pratense — see Tomcat Clover (same genus)
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
- Firewheel (Gaillardia pulchella)
- Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)
- Louisiana Sagewort (Artemisia ludoviciana)
Want Painted Lady in your yard? Open Sunflower in Pollinator Patch and plan an HOA-friendly garden around it for your region.
Family
Nymphalidae
Wingspan
50–70 mm
Active
May through September
Range
WA, AR, AZ, CO and 47 more states
How to identify it
Look for orange wings with black markings and white spots, especially near flowering plants in open areas.
Good to know
- One of the most widespread butterfly species in the world
- Capable of long-distance migrations across continents
- Larvae live communally in silk nests on host plants
Common questions
- What do Painted Lady caterpillars eat?
- Painted Lady caterpillars feed on Urtica dioica, Cirsium arvense, Trifolium pratense, Helianthus annuus, Gaillardia pulchella, Malvaviscus arboreus, and Artemisia ludoviciana. These are the larval host plants the caterpillars must have to develop, per the Xerces Society and host plant records compiled from GBIF and iNaturalist.
- Where do Painted Lady live?
- Painted Lady is found across WA, AR, AZ, CO and 47 more states.
- When are Painted Lady active?
- Adult Painted Lady are typically on the wing from May through September.
Range and life-history data compiled from iNaturalist, GBIF, and the Xerces Society. Photo licensed cc-by-nc.