Painted Lady: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Busy Bugs · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. In 2024, scientists found the first proof of an insect crossing an ocean: painted ladies rode trade winds some 4,200 km from Africa to South America.
2. British painted ladies fly a 14,500 km round trip between tropical Africa and the Arctic Circle, over up to six generations.
3. A female lays her eggs one at a time, often on plants with plenty of nectar for the adults, even if that is risky for the caterpillars.
4. Painted ladies use more than 300 recorded host plants. Caterpillars feed on daisy-family plants, including thistles.
5. Painted ladies steer by the sun. In a lab study, butterflies cut off from the sun could not pick a direction.

The quiz

1. What carried a painted lady across an ocean in 2024?

• A cargo ship
• Storm clouds
• Trade winds (correct)
• Ocean currents

Trade winds carried them from Africa to South America.

2. Over how many generations does the round trip to the Arctic Circle take place?

• Up to six (correct)
• Just one
• Exactly two
• Up to twenty

Up to six successive generations take turns.

3. How does a female painted lady lay her eggs?

• All in one big clump
• One at a time (correct)
• Floating on water
• Buried deep in the soil

Females lay their eggs one by one.

4. What do painted lady caterpillars feed on?

• Only oak leaves
• Daisy-family plants such as thistles (correct)
• Only grasses
• Pine needles

The caterpillars feed on daisy-family plants such as thistles.

5. What did painted ladies in a lab study need to choose a direction?

• The moon
• Loud sounds
• The sun (correct)
• A magnet

Butterflies cut off from the sun could not orient themselves.

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