West Coast Lady
Vanessa annabella (Field, 1971)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is orange-brown with an orange bar at the leading edge of the forewing; hindwing with 3 or 4 blue submarginal spots. Underside with complex pattern; eyespots are obscured by other markings.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 inches (3/8 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: Males perch to watch for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on upperside of host plant leaves; caterpillars eat leaves and live in a silken nest. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Many flights throughout the year in lowland California; two flights, summer and fall, in the Rocky Mountains; one flight in higher mountains.
Caterpillar Hosts: Many plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including tree mallow (Lavatera), globe mallow (Sphaeralcea), bush mallow (Malvastrum), mallow (Malva), alkali mallow (Sida), checkerbloom (Sidalcea), and hollyhock (Althea).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open places including weedy areas, gardens, roadsides, fields, foothills, chaparral, disturbed areas.
Range: Western North America from southern British Columbia south to Baja California Norte; south and east to Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, and Mexico. Strays to central Kansas, eastern North Dakota, and southern Ontario.
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: Occasionally causes minor damage to hollyhock (Althaea) leaves.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 145 - 168 of 1004 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2022
Observation date: Apr 06, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 17, 2022
Observation date: May 07, 2022
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: Apr 30, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 07, 2022
Observation date: Apr 26, 2022
Submitted by: James Lofton
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 05, 2022
Observation date: Apr 23, 2022
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 24, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: DebW
Region: Curry County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 13, 2022
Observation date: Apr 05, 2022
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 07, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 07, 2022
Observation date: Mar 31, 2022
Submitted by: loonunit
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Apr 05, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 03, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 03, 2022
Observation date: Feb 24, 2022
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 30, 2022
Observation date: Feb 24, 2022
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 30, 2022
Observation date: Mar 09, 2022
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Mar 10, 2022
Observation date: Feb 13, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 23, 2022
Observation date: Feb 07, 2022
Submitted by: zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 23, 2022
Observation date: Dec 30, 2013
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 10, 2022
Observation date: Jan 05, 2022
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 08, 2022
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Cowlitz County, Washington, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 07, 2022
Observation date: Mar 19, 2017
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Santa Cruz Island County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 03, 2022
Observation date: Jan 23, 2022
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 29, 2022
Observation date: Dec 29, 2021
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 05, 2022
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