thistle butterfly
insect
Also known as: Vanessa
Quick Summary
The thistle butterfly is another name for the painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui). This migratory brush-footed butterfly is found on every continent except South America and Antarctica. It has broad wings with intricate patterns of reddish-orange, pink, brown, white, and blue scales. Painted ladies migrate thousands of kilometers north from Africa to Europe each spring. Their larvae feed on thistles and stinging nettles in Africa and Europe, and on plants in the Asteraceae family in North America.12
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