Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
| Similar to the more common American Lady, but with four small spots on the underside of the hindwing instead of two large eye-spots. Chatham Co., NC 10/9/04. |
| Mt Mitchell State Park, Yancey Co., NC 9/13/08. |
| A fresh, richly colored individual nectaring on Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum). Alleghany Co., NC 6/25/05. |
| A strongly migratory species, Painted Ladies are common in some years (such as 2001, 2004, and 2005), rare in others. Craven Co., NC 8/28/05. |
| Several were nectaring on mustard flowers at Brickhouse Road near Falls Lake, Granville/Durham Co., NC, 11/11/2001. |
| On the upperside, look for the thick black J-shaped bar towards the body. This one is nectaring on Large-flowered Aster (Aster grandiflorus). Chatham Co., NC 10/9/04. |
| Painted Ladies rarely have the white dot in the orange field on the forewing that American Ladies usually have. Chatham Co., NC 10/9/04. |
| This one's missing a chunk out of its left hindwing. Chatham Co., NC 10/9/04. |
| The exception to the rule. Most don't have the white dot, but its presence or absence isn't always a reliable field mark. Durham Co., NC, 11/11/2001 |
| Here's another abnormal Painted Lady - the wings on this one didn't develop properly, though it still managed to fly. Chapel Hill, NC 9/30/05. |