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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies (excluding skippers) (Papilionoidea) » Brushfooted Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc. (Nymphalinae) » Ladies and Red Admirals (Vanessa) » West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella)
Photo#99229
Vanessa Butterfly - which? - Vanessa annabella
Copyright © 2007 Kay Loughman

Vanessa Butterfly - which? - Vanessa annabella
Oakland, Alameda County, California, USA
March 23, 2007
Size: 2"
This butterfly looked orangey while flying, but closed its wings immediately on landing. found in weeds and gravel along a paved road at 11:45 am, March 23, 2007, on south-facing hillside at 950 ft. elev.
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Contributed by Kay Loughman on 23 March, 2007 - 6:29pm
Last updated 7 September, 2007 - 10:10pm

Moved
Moved from Butterflies.
… Ted Kropiewnicki, 7 September, 2007 - 10:10pm login or register to post comments

Vanessa Annabella
The first thing I noticed was the way the forewing is square in shape where as the painted lady has more rounded wing tips. definitely a West Coast Lady
… David, 24 March, 2007 - 1:46am login or register to post comments

 
Vanessa Annabella
David and Ron: Thank you so much for your comments! Kay
… Kay Loughman, 26 March, 2007 - 10:03am login or register to post comments

Not 100% sure, but I'd say Vanessa annabella
The eye spots on the hind wing are diagonostic, and I can't quite make them out. Actually, that may be good.

V. annabella, West Coast Lady, has five of the same size and they blend into the background, which seems to be the case here. V. carduli, Painted Lady, has five obvious eye spots, with the second and fifth being larger than the others. V. virginiensis, American Lady, has two large eyespots. (Info is from "An Introduction to Southern California Butterflies" by Fred Heath.
… Ron Hemberger, 23 March, 2007 - 7:49pm login or register to post comments

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