Vanessa cardui

Farbricius 1758 - The Painted Lady

Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan.

This is the most widely distributed butterfly in the world. It is highly migratorial in habit, and its presence on the Islands is only as a passer through, and therefore, one can not expect it to see the species at any particular time of year. It may be encountered anywhere outside forests.

Flight Period

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		x

Wingspan

50 - 60mm

Early Stages

Fully known.

Larval Foodplant

Artemesia pallens, Artemesia scoparia, Blumea balsamifera (all Compositae), Debregeasia longifolia (Urticaceae), Smilax perfoliata (Smilacaceae)

Range

Cosmopolitan. Can be found on all continents, though in Australia, it is only in the West of the Country.