Photo: American Lady Butterfly, Judy Gallagher
We are pleased to announce the winner of our most recent Monday Nature Mystery, Ben Jessup!
Congratulations to Ben for identifying the American Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui).
American Lady Butterfly, Judy Gallagher
According to Bug Guide, the American Lady is the brightest/darkest orange of the three North American "Ladies". Fresh individuals of Painted Lady often show a pinkish suffusion above that is absent or less developed in American Lady and absent in West Coast Lady (it tends to vanish as the insect ages). The black markings on the upper surface of American Lady average narrower than Painted Lady. The large pale bar near the middle of the upper front wing is white in Painted Lady, orange in West Coast Lady, but can be either color in American Lady. Two of the submarginal dark "eyespots" on the upper hind wings are filled with blue in the American Lady (usually little or no blue on same spots in Painted Lady; usually four with blue on West Coast Lady). The under hind wing has two prominent large submarginal eyespots, unlike the much smaller four or five in the other two lady species.
Each Monday we’ll post a new mystery and identify the previous week’s winner. They’ll receive an ASNV hat or tote bag.
Here is this week’s mystery:
Who is this?
Be sure to post your guess on our Facebook page under the latest Monday Nature Mystery post, and make sure you receive our emails to find out the winner and mystery answer each week. Good Luck!
Please check our guidelines here.
Monday Nature Mystery: Who is this? Photo: Judy Gallagher