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🦋 Painted Ladies

A flash of orange crosses your path, with striking black-tipped wings featuring white spots. A joyous summer sight on a relaxing stroll.


We have noticed lots of these beautiful butterflies in the park recently. Have you spotted any?


A Painted Lady butterfly with open wings on a long stem with small purple flowers. The butterfly has mainly orange wings with black wing tips that have white spots.

Painted Lady facts

  • Did you know that the Painted Lady butterfly is not a native species in the UK?

  • They migrate to the UK from Northern mainland Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East during the warmer months and cannot survive winter here in any form

  • They are normally spotted in the UK between April and October

  • Painted Lady butterflies have a wingspan of between around 50 and 60 mm

  • Their Latin name is Vanessa Cardui

  • It enjoys feeding on buddleia flowers in particular (known informally as the butterfly bush for good reason)

  • They are an abundant species worldwide, other than in South America

  • Painted Lady caterpillars enjoy feeding on nettles and thistles among other UK plants

  • Their lifetime spans a mere two to four weeks


A Painted Lady butterfly with wings folded closed, resting on delicate pink flowers The butterfly has mainly orange wings with black wing tips that have white spots and its underwings are mottled stone colours with some black spots.

We are grateful that Painted Ladies choose to spend their short lives with us at Whitlingham. Hopefully you'll spot some next time you are out and about here.


If you are lucky enough to catch sight of one basking in the sun, please do take a photograph (in landscape orientation) and enter it into our photography competition, which runs until late September. Click the link for full details. Butterflies make a beautiful photography subject! 🦋





 
 
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