How to find the adults

Painted Lady butterflies are fast flyers. The best time to observe them is while feeding on flowers. Sometimes, if lucky, one can see them in big numbers, which is usually indicative of large migrations or breeding occurring in the area.
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Tips to find Vanessa cardui adults:
  • Climb a hilltop in the evening, you'll maybe find males chasing each other fighting for territory (watch the video!)
  • Find sites with plenty of their favourite plants (as thistles) with flowers​. If migrations have arrived to your area, it is very likely to find them feeding in good numbers.

How to find caterpillars

Painted Lady caterpillars build silken shelters. These particular structures help them to keep protected from predators and parasitoids, while eating the leaves that they use as walls. Larvae are easier to find than adults because one can identify these shelters, which are usually found in large numbers, even in the same plant. 
Tips to find Vanessa cardui larvae:
  • ​V. cardui likes to breed in open areas, abandoned fields, rocky hills and nitrogen-rich areas. 
  • ​Find their favourites plants in your area. V. cardui is polyfagous, feeding on multiple plants, even from different families (contact us - we can help!) 
  • ​Typical plants include many asteraceae (e.g. thistles, Gnaphalium, Artemisia), malvaceae (e.g. Malva), boraginaceae (e.g. Amsinckia), etc.
  • Check habitat and hostplat examples in the pictures below: these can help to identify similar sites around you
Report observations

Observe, photograph and report findings directly to us or through our open projects in citizen science platforms
Monitor a breeding site along the year

Find a good spot near your home where the butterfly breed and count them along time. Contact us to set a site and get instructions!
Collect specimens

Butterflies, pupae, caterpillars and their hostplants are processed and studied in the lab. Contact us to get a collecting protocol

Photo, GPS and report!
To participate with your observations, try to photograph the specimens and submit pictures, coordinates and dates in your favourite Citizen Science platform. You can also directly report to us through e-mail at butterfly-migration@ibe.upf-csic.es
e-mail: butterfly-migration@ibe.upf-csic.es
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