Tag: Butterflies of Canada

Weekly Update – Painted Lady Butterfly

Painted Lady Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Vanessa cardui) – Back on Week 6, we posted information and links related to the adult.  


UPDATE – This week, Alberta Agriculture & Forestry reminded their network of cooperators to watch for V. cardui larvae because the species has a broad host range and can feed on soybean (Action threshold=>25% defoliation), sunflowers, borage and dry beans in addition to several species of thistles (including Canada thistle) and mallow. 

In addition to the Week 6 information linking to the Butterflies of Canada entry for Vanessa cardui, the Butterflies and Moths of North America website tracks confirmed sightings of V. cardui (screenshot provided below).

The Butterflies and Moths of North America website also includes some verified photos of larvae to compare to when scouting.  Here’s screenshot below of the photo provided by T. Stout to hasten the need to link to this valuable resource!






Weekly Update – Painted Lady Butterfly

Painted Lady Butterflies – Recent sightings of this butterfly warrant additional information to help scouting.  We link you to the Canadian Biodiversity of Canada website and the Butterflies of Canada which includes incredible information including the following image of Vanessa cardui below.





Access the actual webpage and additional information for this species including comparative photos of similar species, description of range, habitat and flight season plus the fact that this species normally does not overwinter in Canada.



The Butterflies of Canada © 2002, by Ross A. Layberry, Peter W. Hall, and J. Donald Lafontaine. University of Toronto Press; 1998. Specimen photos courtesy of John T. Fowler.