Painted Lady Butterfly

Natural Habitat

Highly migratory and found in a wide variety of open habitats globally, including deserts, prairies, meadows, gardens, and agricultural fields. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.

Diet & Feeding

Adults primarily feed on nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants. Caterpillars feed on the leaves of host plants, including thistles, mallows, legumes, and various other herbaceous plants.

Behavior Patterns

Known for long-distance migrations, sometimes covering thousands of miles. Females lay eggs singly on host plants. Larvae are caterpillars that feed on leaves. They undergo complete metamorphosis, forming a chrysalis before emerging as adult butterflies.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits include pollination of various plants as adults feed on nectar. Their caterpillars can sometimes be considered minor pests in agriculture if populations are very high, as they feed on a range of plants, but generally, they do not cause significant economic damage. They are also a good indicator species for ecosystem health due to their widespread distribution and migratory habits.

Identified on: 6/30/2025