© Photo by Lynne Newton Painted Lady Butterfly Vanessa cardui A fairly large orange, black and white butterfly, the Painted Lady is a migrant to the UK from North Africa, the Middle East and southern Europe during the summer. © Photo by Adam Cormack Sometimes, as happened in 2009, it can be seen migrating here in enormous numbers. A frequent visitor to gardens, it will feed on Buddleia and other flowers. The caterpillars feed on thistles, mallows, Common Nettles and Viper’s-bugloss, as well as various cultivated plants. How to Identify The Painted Lady is mainly orange above, with black tips to the forewings adorned with white spots, and black spots on the hind and forewings. May be confused with Red Admiral or Small Tortoiseshell. Where to Find Found right across the country. How people can help Butterflies such as the Painted Lady will happily visit your garden and are a joy to watch. To attract Painted Lady butterflies into your garden, plant Buddleia bushes and nectar-rich borders for them to feed on, and leave patches of thistles or nettles for the caterpillars. To find out more about encouraging wildlife into your garden, visit our Wild About Gardens website: a joint initiative with the RHS, there’s plenty of facts and tips to get you started. Did you know? The Painted Lady is one of the most widespread species of butterfly, found right across the world with the exception of South America. The Australian type is classified by some as a different species. Key FactsWingspan: 5.8-7.4cm Donate Donate to help support Painted Lady Butterfly and other wildlife. Donate Similar Species Cinnabar Invertebrates Common Blue Invertebrates Common Woodlouse Invertebrates Four-Spotted Chaser Invertebrates