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american lady
Vanessa virginiensis
Identification: Wingspan 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches. Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.
Habitat: Open places with low vegetation including dunes, meadows, parks, vacant lots, forest edges.
Garden Habit: During the afternoon, males perch on hilltops or on low vegetation if there are no hills. Females lay eggs singly on the top of host plant leaves. Caterpillars are solitary, living and feeding in a nest of leaves tied with silk. Adults hibernate.
Host Plants: perennials: pearly everlastings, pussytoes, sweet everlasting, ragwort annuals; helichrysums, dusty millers.
Identification: Wingspan 1 3/4 - 2 5/8 inches. Upperside with uneven brown, yellow, and orange pattern. Forewing with a black apical patch, a small white spot in the orange field below the patch, and a white bar at the leading edge of the forewing. Underside of hindwing with two large eyespots. Winter form is smaller and paler, summer form larger with brighter coloring.
Habitat: Open places with low vegetation including dunes, meadows, parks, vacant lots, forest edges.
Garden Habit: During the afternoon, males perch on hilltops or on low vegetation if there are no hills. Females lay eggs singly on the top of host plant leaves. Caterpillars are solitary, living and feeding in a nest of leaves tied with silk. Adults hibernate.
Host Plants: perennials: pearly everlastings, pussytoes, sweet everlasting, ragwort annuals; helichrysums, dusty millers.
