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Joshua Tree National Park lizard
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Joshua Tree National Park
Painted Lady
Family Nymphaliae (Brush-footed)
Genus & Species Vanessa cardui
 
Painted Lady
 
Description upper side has tawny ground color, wing base is brown, oval white spot on forewing, black bar on forewing, hind wing has submarginal white spots; underwings have complex pattern; 2 to 2.5-inch wingspan
Food thistles, mallow, yellow fiddleneck, sunflowers
Life History multiple broods; egg pale green, barrel-shaped; laid singly. Caterpillar varies from chartreuse with black marbling to purplish with yellow back stripe
Habitat parkwide
Activity
Conservation Status common
Where to look Wilson Canyon, Jumbo Rocks, Indian Cove
Notes The number of immigrants fluctuates greatly from one year to the next. Unlike the Monarch’s annual round-trip outings, the movements of the Painted Lady are essentially one-way.

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Last Updated: August 02, 2006 at 12:27 MST