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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 97 - 120 of 1003 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 24, 2017
Submitted by: dingoqueen
Region: Weber County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Aug 07, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
Observation date: Aug 16, 2023
Submitted by: Kara Henderson
Region: San Francisco County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 16, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2023
Submitted by: jaspiegs
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 10, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2023
Observation date: Jul 26, 2023
Submitted by: Lori Bellis
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 27, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2023
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 19, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 28, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 25, 2023
Observation date: May 28, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2023
Observation date: May 25, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: May 11, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 25, 2023
Observation date: Apr 09, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 20, 2023
Observation date: Apr 15, 2023
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 17, 2023
Observation date: Mar 18, 2023
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 19, 2023
Observation date: Mar 04, 2023
Submitted by: erinlale
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 09, 2023
Observation date: Feb 20, 2023
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 21, 2023
Observation date: Mar 30, 2021
Submitted by: KarlaGonzalez
Region: Mexico
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Feb 13, 2023
Observation date: Feb 09, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 10, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2022
Submitted by: LauEBSmx
Region: Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jan 26, 2023
Observation date: Jan 01, 2023
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 02, 2023
Observation date: Nov 13, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Luna County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 23, 2022
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