American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis (Drury, 1773)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches (4.5 - 6.7 cm).
Life History: During the afternoon, males perch on hilltops or on low vegetation if there are no hills. Females lay eggs singly on the top of host plant leaves. Caterpillars are solitary, living and feeding in a nest of leaves tied with silk. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Three to four broods from May-November, all year in the Deep South and South Texas. It is not known if adults can survive very cold winters; the East may have to be recolonized each year by southern migrants.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the sunflower family everlasting (Gnaphalium obtusifolium), pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), plantain-leaved pussy toes (Antennaria plantaginifolia), wormwood (Artemisia), ironweed (Vernonia), and burdock (Arctium).
Adult Food: Flower nectar almost exclusively, including dogbane, aster, goldenrod, marigold, selfheal, common milkweed, and vetch.
Habitat: Open places with low vegetation including dunes, meadows, parks, vacant lots, forest edges.
Range: Resident in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America south to Colombia. Migrates to and temporarily colonizes the northern United States, southern Canada, the West Indies, and Europe. Rare stray to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 193 - 216 of 11813 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/american_painted_lady1_9.jpg?itok=KhMmclJC)
Observation date: Sep 11, 2020
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 13, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 10, 2022
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/american_painted_lady_oct_2012.jpg?itok=TELZxFcH)
Observation date: Oct 02, 2012
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_1285_2.jpg?itok=3zvEsgeD)
Observation date: Jul 21, 2022
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/image_33.png?itok=ukEFCOI4)
Observation date: Aug 13, 2016
Submitted by: Kindredspiritshilohs
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 29, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/image_684.jpeg?itok=ZO5ZdvYJ)
Observation date: Jun 23, 2016
Submitted by: Mary5209
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/american_lady_220517_hmft_dam2_img_6882.jpg?itok=yQMPFNJM)
Observation date: May 17, 2022
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jan 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_8653_2.jpg?itok=oEqzzaGI)
Observation date: Dec 21, 2022
Submitted by: Erik Stabl
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 22, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pb240282.jpg?itok=MgMVedyP)
Observation date: Nov 24, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Del Norte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn7854_0.jpg?itok=fMSZAFG2)
Observation date: Nov 08, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 21, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/butterfly_american_lady._050420._bnc_oh-1.jpg?itok=Se60LOfF)
Observation date: Nov 06, 2022
Submitted by: bchensel
Region: Miami County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 07, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/usa_-_american_lady_vanessa_virginiensis.jpg?itok=K_LltNqJ)
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 05, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/d6c7ae6f-9240-44bf-8d6d-27279e94e58b.jpeg?itok=abmbpKji)
Observation date: Oct 31, 2022
Submitted by: theskyeworld
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 01, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0943.jpeg?itok=qeOQbOJg)
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 31, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/0398c6ae-dbda-437d-809a-49b1dfcd6606.jpeg?itok=nZ8VbL4a)
Observation date: Oct 27, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 28, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/d6238264-0ec5-47f8-a3fb-aadb56e11800.jpeg?itok=9EBmzwxj)
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: Cardinal52
Region: Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 24, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/0fdd4b75-0763-4535-97f6-50a517cb5585.jpeg?itok=ziqBHchp)
Observation date: Apr 27, 2020
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 22, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/caa9aab4-0f36-4212-aedd-5b7e339e23b9.jpeg?itok=y8oQpzEH)
Observation date: Apr 06, 2020
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 22, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/american_lady_sf_canyon_preserve_10-18-22.jpg?itok=491bAZDl)
Observation date: Oct 18, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 19, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/cdf0c6af-5811-498d-a0f7-a762c8ec18cd.jpeg?itok=hAFMykO0)
Observation date: Sep 15, 2022
Submitted by: ddrudis
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/american_lady_maki_sri.jpg?itok=57_6_r6t)
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/01e581a1-08ee-49dc-8495-aff0bd5cc0fb.jpeg?itok=Kr8hkd_7)
Observation date: Oct 11, 2022
Submitted by: Zach Eckert
Region: King County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc08394_0.jpg?itok=nl8VBvsJ)
Observation date: Oct 11, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/1988f706-ea4c-4b13-9c2c-163c6476e8bc.jpeg?itok=x4jOMg1w)
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
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