BUTTERFLIES

PAINTED LADY:

The Latin name for this butterfly is Cynthia cardui.

The painted lady is a large butterfly with a wingspan of 6-7cm. The forewing has dark tips and bold white marks. The rest of the wings are orange with grey and black marks and blue spots near the margin of the hindwing. The undersides are mottled. The male is slightly smaller than the female.

Eggs from the painted lady are laid singly, most commonly on thistles, where the spiny black and yellow caterpillar eventually makes itself a web tent.