The Butterflies of the World Foundation

A Non-Profit Organization

Vanessa virginiensis, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 17 October 2006                                                                             Ref #:  I-361-9

Vanessa virginiensis, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 13 May 2007                                                                                Ref #:  I-372-18

Vanessa virginiensis, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 30 September 2008                                                                     Ref #:  I-406-11.3

American Lady

Vanessa virginiensis, Drury, 1773

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Tribe Nymphalini

Taxonomy

The family Nymphalidae is the largest butterfly family and includes about 6,000 species which are further divided up into 12 subfamilies.  The common name for the family is the Brushfoots or Brushfooted Butterflies.  This strange name is because the first pair of legs are significantly reduced, sometimes to mere stubs, and look like little brushes.  Some of the most common and well known species are in this group such as the Monarch, Red Admiral, Blue Morpho and Painted Lady.  Some of the longest lived butterflies are in this family with some species living over 10 months as adults.  The Brushfoots are distributed worldwide, with the highest diversity found in the tropics.  With this variety, there is also quite a difference in behavior, adult food choices and habitat preference from species to species.

Vanessa virginiensis, Ouachita National Forest, Cedar Lake, Le Flore County, Oklahoma, 28 June 2010                                                                             Ref #:  I-442-12.3

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Vanessa virginiensis, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 14 October 2008                                                                           Ref #:  I-407-12

General Information:

Vanessa virginiensis belongs to the subfamily Nymphalinae.  This species is widespread and in some years migrates far from its normal ranges.  It is found from the southern United States, Mexico and Central America south to Colombia.  It migrates to and temporarily colonizes the northern United States, southern Canada, the West Indies and Europe.  It is a rare stray to Newfoundland and Labrador.  It can be found in most any habitat including most open places with low vegetation such as dunes, meadows, parks, vacant lots and forest edges.

Lifecycle:

The larval food source includes many plants in the sunflower family such as everlasting, Gnaphalium obtusifolium, pearly everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea, plantain-leaved pussy toes, Antennaria plantaginifolia, wormwood, Artemisia sp., ironweed, Vernonia sp. and burdock, Arctium sp.  During the afternoon, males perch on hilltops or on low vegetation if there are no hills.  Females lay eggs singly on the top of host plant leaves.  Caterpillars are solitary, living and feeding in a nest of leaves tied with silk.  Adults hibernate.

Vanessa virginiensis, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 9 May 2012                                                                                     Ref #:  I-507-7

Vanessa virginiensis, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 16 May 2012

                                                      Ref #:  I-511-4.4