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Painted Lady


Painted Lady
Photo Information
Copyright: Siegfried Potrykus (neusser0204) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 491 W: 48 N: 1830] (7212)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-06-11
Categories: Nature
Exposure: f/11, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-06-17 1:51
Viewed: 119
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Painted Lady group of colourful butterflies comprises the subgenus Cynthia of the genus Vanessa in the Family Nymphalidae. They are well known throughout most of the world.
The group includes the Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), which is almost global in its distribution; Australian Painted Lady (Vanessa kershawi); American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) and West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella).
Illustration of a Painted Lady with open wingsFor a key to the terms used see Lepidopteran glossary
In general, the Painted Lady is a large butterfly (wing span 5-9 cm (2 - 2 7/8 in)) identified by the black and white corners of its mainly deep orange, black-spotted wings. It has 5 white spots in the black forewing tips and while the orange areas may be pale here and there, there are no clean white dots in them. The hindwings carry 4 small submarginal eyespots on dorsal and ventral sides. Those on the dorsal side are black, but in the summer morph sometimes small blue pupils are present in some.

The American Painted Lady (V. virginiensis) is most easily distinguishable by its two large hindwing eyespots on the ventral side. virginiensis also features a white dot within the subapical field of the forewings set in pink on the ventral side, and often as a smaller clean white dot in the orange of the dorsal side too. A less reliable indicator is the row of eyespots on the dorsal submarginal hindwing; virginiensis often has two larger outer spots with blue pupils. The black forewing tips have 4-5 white spots, usually the largest is whitish orange.

The West Coast Lady (V. annabella) does not have obvious ventral eyespots. On the dorsal side, anabella lacks a white dot in the subapical orange found in virginiensis, and is a purer orange color. annabella has a fully orange subapical band and leading edge on the forewing. The submarginal row of hindwing spots in annabella features three or four blue pupils. The two larger pupils in annabella are the inner spots, rather than the outer spots as in corresponding virginiensis.

The Australian Painted Lady (V. kershawi) is quite similar to V. cardui. Its four ventral eyespots are less clearly defined, and it always sports at least three (often four) blue pupil spots on its dorsal hindwing. Caterpillars are found mainly on Ammobium alatum.
(Wikipedia)
taftabit, tedesse, Neuro_Toxin, skobek, kanton has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hey Siggi
very nice spectar of kolors and details
great capture
regards
T

Witaj!
Ale musiales sie nabiegac aby stworzyc taka piekna i bogata kolekcje motyli.
Ladny kadr,dobre kolory i glebia.
Interesujaca notka.
Pozdrawiam
Tadeusz

Hi
Nice capture, Siegfried. Good colours and a good BG.You have provided a good accompanying note too. Well done .

TFS
Have a Nice Day :)
Neuro_Toxin

Witaj Siegfried,
rójkątny, nieco powycinany kształt pięknego motyla. Długie czułki. Wszystko ostre i wyraźne. Piękny portret.
Pozdrowienia - Sławek

Hello Siegfried!
Beautiful painted lady indeed!
she is in actions and looks fine!
great warm colours and lighting!
Regards and tfs
Kostas

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