Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
Photo#1085605
Vanessa virginensis - American Lady
Copyright © 2015 Michael Nerrie

Vanessa virginensis - American Lady
Walpole, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, USA
Size: 2.5cm (1 inch)
An American Lady caterpillar (Vanessa virginensis) on a native perennial pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea). The plant is covered with dozens of caterpillars.
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Michael Nerrie on 16 June, 2015 - 8:29pm
Last updated 28 June, 2015 - 8:20pm

Moved
Moved from Butterflies (excluding skippers).
… John S. Ascher, 28 June, 2015 - 8:20pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… john and jane balaban, 19 June, 2015 - 12:39am login or register to post comments

American Lady
Looks to be American Lady (Vanessa virginensis) probably on some species of Pussytoes (Antennaria sp.).
… lepman, 16 June, 2015 - 9:09pm login or register to post comments

 
A Lesson Learned!
I did some research and found that the larvae of the American Painted Lady often favors the perennial in the photo, pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea). They also love the perennial field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) which you mentioned. To get an accurate BugGuild ID Request in the future I really should include the name of the plant I find the 'bug' on. Thanks for you help.
… Michael Nerrie, 18 June, 2015 - 3:07pm login or register to post comments

 
Larval food plants
Another larval food plant of American Lady is Gnaphalium obtusifolium which has several common names including catfoot, old-field balsam, rabbit tobacco etc. It is sometimes confused with Anaphalis which is an introduced species.
… lepman, 18 June, 2015 - 8:01pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks Again
Thanks for the new info. I'll keep an eye out for Gnaphalium obtusifolium in the wild... and maybe some more American Ladies.
… Michael Nerrie, 18 June, 2015 - 8:57pm login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact