painted lady |
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Vanessa cardui |
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| Order | Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) |
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| Superfamily | Papilionoidea (Butterflies [excluding skippers]) |
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| Family | Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies) |
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| Subfamily | Nymphalinae (True Brushfoots) |
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| Status |
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| Flight/Season | One to three flights from May to September |
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| Habitat | Open areas |
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| Size |
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| Identification |
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| Larval Food | More than 100 species, including thistle (Cirsium), legumes (Fabaceae), mallow (Malvaceae), and hollyhock (Alcea). |
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| Adult Food | Thistle (Cirsium), aster (Symphyotrichum), blazing star (Liatris), ironweed (Vernonia), Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium), red clover (Trifolium pratense), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and milkweed (Asclepias). |
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| Life Cycle |
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