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Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Vanessa cardui / Painted Lady / Distelvlinder / Distelfalter / Belle Dame.
The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is a well-known colourful butterfly, known in North America as the Cosmopolite.
It is one of the most widespread of all butterflies, found on every continent. In Australia, V. cardui has a limited range around Bunbury, Fremantle and Rottnest Island. However, its close relative, the Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi, sometimes considered a subspecies) ranges over half the continent. Other closely related species are the American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), and the West Coast Lady (Vanessa anabella).
The Painted Lady occurs in any temperate zone, including mountains in the tropics. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates in spring, and sometimes again in autumn. For example, it migrates from North Africa and the Mediterranean to Britain in May and June, but offspring produced there die in the Autumn.
The caterpillars feed on thistles, the adults drink nectar from flowers which can include thistles and plants like the Buddleia.
Distinguishing features
In general, the Painted Lady is a large butterfly identified by the black and white corners of its mainly orange wings.
The American Painted Lady (V. virginiensis) is most easily distinguishable by its two large eyespots on the ventral side, whereas cardui has four small eyespots. virginiensis also features a small white dot within the orange subapical field. which shows on both the dorsal and ventral sides. A less reliable indicator is the row of spots on the submarginal hindwing; while cardui typically has a row of small black spots, virginiensis often has two larger outer spots with blue pupils. In its summer form, however, cardui also sometimes has small blue pupils, so it is the two larger spots which best distinguish virginiensis.
The West Coast Lady (V. anabella) does not have obvious ventral eyespots. On the dorsal side, anabella lacks the distinctive white dot of virginiensis, and is a deeper, more consistent orange than both virginiensis and cardui; anabella has a fully orange subapical band and leading edge on the forewing, while in the other species these areas are often pale or tinged with white. The submarginal row of hindwing spots in anabella features three or four blue pupils. The two larger pupils in anabella are the inner spots, rather than the outer spots as in virginiensis.
The Australian Painted Lady (V. kershawi) is similar to V. cardui. However, its four ventral eyespots are less clearly defined, and it always sports at least three (often four) blue pupil spots on its dorsal hindwing. A major food plant is Ammobium alatum.
Harm |
jrobertop, Royaldevon, crs, Juyona, phlr, nirmalroberts has marked this note useful
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Hello Harm.
More a beauty of image!
Perfect framing, appropriate exposure.
Excellent colors and contrast; shot very well detailed.
Congratulations!
Regards,
José Roberto
Hello Harm,
This Painted Lady is really showing off her pretty patterned wings! I like how she is stretching them towards the opposite corners of the frame.
The details are good and the dof, perfect!
Kind regards,
Bev :-)
- crs
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 0 N: 920]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(3543) - [2008-09-11 10:33]
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Hello Harm,
Good photo with the Painted lady. You have focused well on insects body and in the meen time you have chosen well adapted DOF. Details are sharp and most of the insect is in focus. Light has benn well used as you have shown in a nice manner the pattern of the wings.
Thank you for sharing,
Cristian
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- Juyona
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2273 W: 10 N: 2661]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(15669) - [2008-09-11 10:38]
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Hola Harm,
preciosa macro,
excelente calidad, luz y color...
saludos amigo.
Hello Harm,
Thanks a lot for sharing this beautiful butterfly.
- Nirmal
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 62 N: 1235]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(4227)