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Project Noah Nature School
Vanessa cardui
"Upperside is orange-brown with darker wing bases; forewing with black apex patch and white bar on leading edge; hindwing submarginal row of 5 small black spots sometimes has blue scales. Underside has a black, brown, and gray pattern with 4 small submarginal eyespots. Males perch and patrol during the afternoon for receptive females. In the West males usually perch on shrubs on hilltops, while in the East males perch on bare ground in open areas. Females lay eggs singly on the tops of host plant leaves. Caterpillars live in silk nests and eat leaves. Adults hibernate only in the South and in mild winters."
Garden
Spotted on Nov 2, 2012
Submitted on Nov 5, 2012
2 Comments
Thanks Leana, not a very common butterfly here.
Nice spot Liam!