How to Identify an American Lady Butterfly

On This Page

What Does an American Lady Butterfly Look Like?

Bnbbyc19 Lisa Young 3 Courtesy Lisa Young

The American lady butterfly has wings that show a mixed pattern of mostly orange from above, including a small white spot within the orange. Forewings also feature a black patch and a white bar at the wing’s edge. The underside of its hindwings has two large, dark eyespots, which sets it apart from the painted lady. The butterfly’s wingspan measures 1 3/4 to 2 5/8 inches.

Discover fascinating butterfly facts you didn’t know.

Range and Habitat

Look for these butterflies in open areas, including fields and gardens, across most of the U.S. and southern Canada.

Host Plants

252628850 1 Sandra Belitza Vazquez Bnb Bypc2020 — American lady butterfly on aster flowers

Adult butterflies lay pale green eggs on host plants from the Asteraceae family, including sweet everlasting, ironweed and pussytoes.

These are the top 10 butterfly host plants to attract pollinators.

American Lady Caterpillar

Coloring on the American lady caterpillar varies, but it is typically yellow or black with bands wrapping around. Look for white spots on abdominal segments and large spines accented by reddish bases.

American Lady vs Painted Lady

At first glance, American lady and painted lady butterflies look similar. However, there are a few distinct differences that help distinguish them from each other. For the American lady, check for two large, bold eyespots on the underside of each hindwing.

If there are more spots on the hindwing, you’ve likely spotted a painted lady instead. The painted lady’s hindwings have four spots, rather than two. In addition, keep an eye out for a small white spot within the orange patch. It’s a key field mark of the American lady’s that the painted lady lacks.

Bnbbyc16 Charles Miller 003 Original — Painted lady butterfly

RELATED:

Author

Emily Hannemann

Emily Hannemann is a digital editor for Birds & Blooms. She holds a master's degree in magazine journalism from the University of Missouri - Columbia, as well as undergraduate degrees in journalism and English. In her spare time, she enjoys researching fun facts about corvids.

Reviewer

Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman

As a teenager in the 1970s, Kenn Kaufman hitch-hiked all over North America in pursuit of birds, an adventure later chronicled in his cult-classic book Kingbird Highway. After several years as a professional nature tour leader, taking groups to all seven continents, he transitioned to a career as a writer, editor, and illustrator. His 14 books incl...

Fact Checker

Kirsten Schrader

Now Birds & Blooms' content director, Kirsten has been writing about birding and gardening for 17 years. Her writing and editing roles have spanned the print and digital landscape. Although she has traveled to see amazing birds throughout the U.S., Kirsten has one dream bucket list bird—the male painted bunting.