Things With Wings
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Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
2 photos
·2 photographers
·Common · 1 ptsLong-distance migrant from North Africa; salmon-orange.
2 community photos of Painted Lady from 2 photographers on Things With Wings. Top-rated shots often use around 1/2028ss shutter, 6.8600001335175875mm.
Species Profile
Not formally listed; numbers fluctuate significantly year to year depending on continental migration patterns.
- Lifespan
- 2–6 weeks in the wild; longer in captivity
- Size & Weight
- Wingspan 32–35 mm
- Habitat
- Open, sunny habitats including gardens, parks, grasslands, and disturbed ground with abundant low-growing plants.
- UK Distribution
- Widespread across England, Wales, and southern Scotland; primarily a summer migrant arriving from continental Europe, though occasional small resident populations may establish in mild years.
- Diet
- Adults feed on nectar from thistles, mallows, teasels, and other wildflowers; caterpillars are polyphagous, feeding on over 300 plant species including nettles, mallows, thistles, and legumes.
- Predators
- Birds, spiders, and parasitic wasps (particularly Tachina flies and ichneumonids).
- Mating Season
- May to October (multiple generations per year during the breeding season).
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs singly on host plants; caterpillars develop in approximately 3–4 weeks; typically 2–3 generations per year in the UK, with migrants potentially contributing additional broods.
- Behaviour
- Highly migratory, with populations undertaking long-distance flights from North Africa and southern Europe. Males are territorial and patrol in a low, rapid flight pattern. Adults are restless, energetic fliers and difficult to observe at rest.
Sources and editorial status
The short identification summary comes from the Things With Wings species catalogue. The extended species profile is AI-assisted and has not been individually reviewed by a wildlife expert, so verify important identification or conservation details with the specialist sources below.
Profile generated 22 June 2026
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Camera Settings (top photos)
Shutter
1/2028ss
ISO Range
64–400
Aperture
f/f/1.7799999713880652
Focal Length
6.8600001335175875mm
