painted lady, (Vanessa cardui), species of 

butterfly in the brush-footed
butterfly family, Nymphalidae (order Lepidoptera), that has broad wings (span about 4
to 5 cm [1.5 to 2 inches]), with beautifully elaborate patterns of reddish orange, pink,
brown, white, and blue scales. Vast numbers travel northward in spring across the
Mediterranean from Africa to Europe, migrating thousands of kilometres. A few of the
next generation travel southward during late summer, but most perish in the northern
winter. Painted lady larvae in the Americas feed on plants that are members of the
family Compositae, while larvae in Africa and Europe eat thistles and stinging nettles.

painted lady
In North America, V. cardui and V. virginiensis are known as the painted lady and
American painted lady, respectively. In Europe and Africa, V. cardui is referred to as the
painted lady, whereas in Central America V. virginiensis is called the painted lady.