Located

The Australian Painted Lady is an adaptive butterfly that is frequently sighted right across Australia. While more common in the southern regions of the mainland, painted lady butterflies have been recorded as far north as Townsville in Queensland and Karratha in Western Australia. Atlas of Living Australia

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Appearance

"The upper sides of both sexes of this species are very similar, being black to black-brown, with a complex pattern of thick, orange markings in the central portion of the forewing. The underside of the forewing is coloured in a very similar manner to the upper side; however, the apex is greyish instead of black. The adult butterfly measures between 43 to 47mm across, although larger and smaller examples may be found.

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The mature caterpillars are a shade of grey, brown or green, with a series of paler lines running the length of the body. They have a series of branched spines on the body. These spines are not dangerous to people. The pupae vary from red to grey-brown with darker cryptic markings and a pair of gold or silver spots. They are generally attached to the food plant." Hunt, Grund, Keane & Forrest

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Diet

The Painted Lady favours everlastings and other daisies. It is also attracted to nectar-producing flowers and is an almost guaranteed visitor to gardens with these plants from time to time.

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"The caterpillar hides by day in a curled leaf or at the foot of the foodplant, feeding at night. It feeds on a number of herbaceous plants from the Daisy family ASTERACEAE including the Australian natives :

• Winged Everlasting (Ammobium alatum),

• Strawflower (Bracteantha bracteata),

• Yellow Buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum),

• Rice Flower (Chrysocephalum semipapposum),

• Everlastings (Helichrysum species), and

• Western Sunray (Rhodanthe chlorocephalum)

 

The caterpillars also feed on the introduced species:​

• Capeweed (Arctotheca calendula),

• Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthium)

• Lavender ( Lavendula angustifolia)." Coffs Harbour Butterfly House