Painted Lady

The Painted Lady is one of the most widespread butterflies in the world. It can be told apart from other Vanessa species by its softer orange-pink colour and its detailed pattern of black and white markings. The front wings have clear white spots near black tips, while the underside shows a detailed mix of browns, whites, and small eye-like spots. Its wingspan is between 50 and 65 millimetres. It is well known as a migrant to Britain, arriving from North Africa and southern Europe in varying numbers each spring and summer. Unlike the similar Red Admiral butterfly, it does not prefer any particular habitat. It can be found in gardens, meadows, wasteland, and coastal areas. The adult butterflies feed on thistles, buddleia, and other flowers rich in nectar. They cannot survive the British winters, although there have been records of them migrating back south in the autumn.