American Lady is one of our more common and familiar butterflies, normally much more common than the similar Painted Lady.

Weymouth Woods, Moore Co., NC 6/6/03.

They're not difficult to tell apart if you know what to look for. Note the two large eyespots on the underside of the hindwing - Painted Lady has four smaller spots.

Carroll Co., VA 9/4/05.

American Lady lacks the Painted Lady's distinctive J-shaped black bar on the top side of the forewing.

Chatham Co., NC 10/9/04.

American Ladies also usually have a white dot in the orange field on the forewing that Painted Ladies usually lack. This individual is perhaps the most richly-colored one I've ever seen.

Weymouth Woods, Moore Co., NC 6/6/03.