CLOSED: Multicoloured brown/orange butterfly - would like an ID!

DrDoolotz Oxford, NS(Zone 5b) Aug 17, 2008

Hello,

Does anyone know this type of butterfly? My Dad photographed it in their garden in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (zone 6).

Thanks much!
Claire

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Sheila_FW Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Aug 18, 2008

Claire..
I can't pull up your photo to see for sure, but I think what you have is the Painted Lady. This site shows a side by side comparison of the Painted Lady and an American Lady.
http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Vanessa-virginiensis&sp2=Vanessa-cardui

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Aug 18, 2008

This appears to be an American Lady/American Painted Lady butterfly, Vanessa virginiensis (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). It is resident in the southern United States, but does wander as far north as southern Canada - see http://pick5.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Vanessa+virginiensis for detailed information.

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Aug 18, 2008

The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) obviously is extremely similar in appearance to the American Lady, but I felt that the shape of the forewing in this specimen was more consistent with that of Vanessa virginiensis than V. cardui.

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Aug 18, 2008

The A. Painted Lady has 2 blue eyespots and the Painted Lady has 4 so that one looks like an American Lady to me too.

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DrDoolotz Oxford, NS(Zone 5b) Aug 18, 2008

Wow! Thanks everyone - that's exciting! Very helpful indeed.

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Sheila_FW Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Aug 18, 2008

Thanks for chiming in Fly and suunto. I didn't get to pull up the pic, wouldn't load for me. That is why I put the comparison link, I knew it was one or the other.

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