Vanessa annabella

West Coast Lady

Vanessa annabella is a great suburban garden butterfly to attract and raise. Hollyhocks are what I used when I was a kid. In the wild, these are mallow and nettle-feeders. True to their common name, they fly in the western U.S., and may be encountered much of the year. To separate these from Painted Ladies, compare the shape of the forewing tips (more rounded in Painted Ladies, squared-off in annabella); the white areas on the forewings (Painted Ladies have a white bar, West Coast Ladies orange); and the four hind wing blue dots on annabella. Is there a butterfly with a nicer name that Vannessa annabella?