National Moth Week is July 18-26!
Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live.
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 73 - 96 of 1003 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 21, 2023
Submitted by: Kalehua
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 28, 2023
Observation date: Nov 26, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 26, 2023
Observation date: Sep 29, 2023
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 21, 2023
Observation date: Nov 21, 2023
Submitted by: cevmendo
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 21, 2023
Observation date: Nov 16, 2023
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 17, 2023
Observation date: Sep 24, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 25, 2023
Submitted by: shuckabone
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 28, 2023
Observation date: Oct 08, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Oct 06, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2023
Observation date: Oct 08, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2023
Observation date: Oct 13, 2023
Submitted by: caterfly
Region: Mariposa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 14, 2023
Observation date: Sep 30, 2023
Submitted by: TomObrock
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2023
Observation date: Sep 22, 2023
Submitted by: Karen Richardson
Region: Sacramento County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 27, 2023
Submitted by: Burr Heneman
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Jul 16, 2023
Submitted by: baileyjt
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 07, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2023
Submitted by: bkbrott
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 19, 2022
Submitted by: peskypinto
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 04, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 30, 2023
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 18, 2020
Submitted by: Robb Hannawacker
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2017
Submitted by: mhearell
Region: Weber County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
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