Telling the story of the ups and downs, the adventurous and mundane days of one British family's self-imposed exile in the Capital Region of New York State.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Day 4.147: Why did I take this?
That's what I was wondering when went through my pictures from the rail trail and saw this:
I believe it's a Painted Lady, but I did not get a much better view than this except for a flash of orange as it landed. Both Exile #4 and E5N1 tended Painted Lady caterpillars and released the butterflies at school recently so maybe this is one of theirs.
That is what I believe this to be - although, according to Wikipedia, it may be known as a Cosmopolitan here. Amazingly they don't overwinter here but recolonise from the southern states or from Mexico.
The ones the kids were tending may have been Vanessa virginiensis - the American (Painted) Lady but I don't know for sure.
A very well camouflaged butterfly. Do you know the species?
ReplyDeleteI believe it's a Painted Lady, but I did not get a much better view than this except for a flash of orange as it landed. Both Exile #4 and E5N1 tended Painted Lady caterpillars and released the butterflies at school recently so maybe this is one of theirs.
ReplyDeleteIs your Painted Lady the same as ours which is Vanessa cardui?
ReplyDeleteThat is what I believe this to be - although, according to Wikipedia, it may be known as a Cosmopolitan here. Amazingly they don't overwinter here but recolonise from the southern states or from Mexico.
ReplyDeleteThe ones the kids were tending may have been Vanessa virginiensis - the American (Painted) Lady but I don't know for sure.
Painted Ladies are also migrants here, coming from continental Europe, some years in great numbers. I haven't heard of any yet this year.
ReplyDelete