France, Ste-Hélène forest (88), 19-VII-1992, B. Lalanne-Cassou leg.

Vanessa cardui (Linnaeus, 1758)

Nymphalidae Nymphalinae

Painted Lady

Biology and distribution

Larva on several Asteraceae, the host plants used in the Antilles are unknown.

Vanessa cardui is sporadic in the Antilles. We never found any fresh specimen in Guadeloupe, perhaps it is not a permanent resident.

Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Dominica, Barbados, St-Lucia (freshly emerged specimens: Smith, Miller & Miller, 1994).
Sporadic observations throughout the Greater Antillles.

This migrating butterfly is found everywhere in the world, except in Arctic Regions.

Legend