American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis (Drury, 1773)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches (4.5 - 6.7 cm).
Life History: During the afternoon, males perch on hilltops or on low vegetation if there are no hills. Females lay eggs singly on the top of host plant leaves. Caterpillars are solitary, living and feeding in a nest of leaves tied with silk. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Three to four broods from May-November, all year in the Deep South and South Texas. It is not known if adults can survive very cold winters; the East may have to be recolonized each year by southern migrants.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the sunflower family everlasting (Gnaphalium obtusifolium), pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), plantain-leaved pussy toes (Antennaria plantaginifolia), wormwood (Artemisia), ironweed (Vernonia), and burdock (Arctium).
Adult Food: Flower nectar almost exclusively, including dogbane, aster, goldenrod, marigold, selfheal, common milkweed, and vetch.
Habitat: Open places with low vegetation including dunes, meadows, parks, vacant lots, forest edges.
Range: Resident in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America south to Colombia. Migrates to and temporarily colonizes the northern United States, southern Canada, the West Indies, and Europe. Rare stray to Newfoundland and Labrador.
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: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 11765 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 14, 2024
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 15, 2024
Observation date: May 30, 2024
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Rosa Island County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 14, 2024
Observation date: Jun 13, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2024
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
Observation date: Jun 09, 2024
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
Observation date: Jun 08, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
Observation date: Jun 01, 2024
Submitted by: Jonathan Coffin
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: Bunji
Region: Wayne County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: May 26, 2024
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Observation date: May 30, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Observation date: May 26, 2024
Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 29, 2024
Observation date: Oct 01, 2022
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2023
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Halifax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Aug 24, 2023
Submitted by: Margie Labadie
Region: Accomack County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: Margie Labadie
Region: Accomack County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: May 10, 2024
Submitted by: bekkfree
Region: Cowley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 19, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 19, 2024
Observation date: May 17, 2024
Submitted by: Gingurr25
Region: Posey County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 19, 2024
Observation date: May 15, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Lake County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 18, 2024
Observation date: May 13, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 18, 2024
Observation date: May 12, 2024
Submitted by: jryan1022
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: Apr 26, 2024
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Hardin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: sasd
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: AnnL
Region: Todd County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 11, 2024
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