These ladies are found all over the world, but new research shows that these brave butterflies can migrate thousands of miles across the ocean.
Painted Ladies, Vanessa cardfly at least 2,610 miles (4,200 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean, from West Africa to French Guiana in South America, according to a new study published in June by Nature Communications.
The research shows that the butterflies may have traveled at least 7,000 kilometers from the point where the butterflies emerged from their cocoons. That is where the butterflies emerged from their cocoons.
“The total journey, which was only energetically feasible with the help of wind, is one of the longest documented journeys by individual insects and possibly the first verified transatlantic crossing,” the study said.
According to Wisconsin Horticulture, these widely traveling insects can be found in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and Central America. They are migratory, just like monarch butterflies.
“Moving insects are often observed far from their native range in open waters from ships at sea and from ocean platforms, on remote, unsuitable islands, or arriving on coastal beaches from trajectories that appear to extend far out to sea,” the study said. “Despite decades of accumulated evidence, long-distance insect dispersal (LDD) continues to be overlooked due to the lack of reliable methods to track the long-distance movements of such small and short-lived organisms.”
How did they track the butterflies?
In October 2013, three of the ten butterflies observed in the study were captured on a beach in French Guiana with damaged wings after a “powerful flight over the ocean.”
Stable populations have never been observed in South America. The butterflies, which are known to be highly migratory birds, must therefore have originated from one of the following continents, the study found:
- North America
- Europe
- Africa
By reconstructing the wind directions of the exhausted insects every hour from the beach where the researchers caught the exhausted insects, and using other methods, it can be seen that the butterflies arrived on the beach from West Africa.
Are there painted ladies in the US?
Yes! The Painted Lady is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica, according to the University of Colorado Boulder Museum of Natural History.
There is no seasonal pattern for Painted Ladies, but there are theories about what determines their migration pattern.
“Some hypothesize that their migration patterns are affected by heavy rainfall events such as El Niño, which may affect the abundance of their larval host plants,” the museum said. “In North America, we typically see Painted Ladies migrating northwest during the spring, and sometimes we see a second migration back south during the fall.
The butterflies also migrate to Canada and Mexico. Their migration takes several generations.
What can I plant to attract Painted Ladies?
The butterflies are attracted to over 100 different types of flowers, says Gardenia, but they prefer flowers from the Asteraceae family, such as thistles. But mallows from the Malvaceae family are also a good choice.
According to Insect Lore, the butterflies are also attracted to legumes such as alfalfa and clover.
Their caterpillars have a huge but similar appetite. Although they prefer to eat thistles, they also like to eat other plants mentioned above.
When creating a perfect butterfly garden for Painted Ladies, be sure not to use herbicides or insecticides to avoid harming the hungry caterpillars and their parents.
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered a variety of topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown of Miami to technology and pop culture. You can contact her at LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram And TikTok: @juliamariegz