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American Painted Lady

Adult American painted lady butterflies have bright orange wings with black linings on the edge.  The underside of wings have less orange and more black and grey. Their heads are pointed and look like they curve up. Eggs are laid on leaves of host plants. The larvae hatch and silk together leaves to provide them with shelter, emerging at night to feed. Larvae are yellow with a black band down the center of their body that is often thick enough to make them appear as though they have a black body. Clumps of fine spines extend down their backs.  Larvae feed on herbs, while adults enjoy feeding on nectar from various flowers such as red clover.