These ladies are found all over the world, but a new study showed that these brave butterflies migrate across the ocean for thousands of miles.
Painted Lady Butterflies, Vanessa Carduifly at least 2,610 miles, 4,200 kilometers, across the Atlantic from West Africa to French Guiana in South America, according to a new study published by Nature Communications in June.
The study adds that the butterflies probably traveled at least 4,345 miles, 7,000 kilometers, from the butterfly emergence point, meaning the location where the butterflies emerged from their cocoons.
“The overall journey, which was energetically feasible only if aided by winds, is among the longest documented for individual insects and potentially the first verified transatlantic passage,” the study says.
Well-traveled insects are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and Central America, and much like Monarch butterflies, they are migratory, according to Wisconsin Horticulture.
“Moving insects are often observed far from their home range in open water from ships at sea and from ocean platforms, on remote, inaccessible islands, or arriving along coastal beaches from trajectories that appear to extend far out to sea,” says the study. “Despite decades of accumulated evidence, insect long-distance dispersal (LDD) nevertheless remains overlooked due to the lack of reliable methods to track the long-distance movements of such small, short-lived organisms.”
How did they track the butterflies?
In October 2013, three of the 10 butterflies observed in the study were caught on a beach in French Guiana with damaged wings after a “powerful flight across the ocean”.
Stable populations were never recorded in South America, so the butterflies, which are known to be strong migrants, must have originated from one of the following continents, according to the study:
- North America
- Europe
- Africa
Reconstruction of hourly backwind trajectories from the beach where the researchers caught the exhausted insects and other methods indicate that the butterflies arrived on the beach from West Africa.
Can painted ladies be found in the US?
Yes! The painted lady butterfly can be found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica, says the University of Colorado Boulder Museum of Natural History.
Painted ladies do not have a seasonal pattern, but there are several theories as to what determines their migratory pattern.
“Some hypothesize that their migration patterns are influenced by heavy rains such as El Niño, which may affect the abundance of their larval plants,” the Museum says. “In North America, we usually see painted lady butterflies migrating northwest during the spring, and sometimes we see a second migration south during the fall.
Butterflies also migrate to Canada and Mexico. Their migration spans multiple generations.
What can I plant to attract painted lady butterflies?
Butterflies are attracted to over 100 different types of flowers, says Gardenia, but prefer flowers from the Asteraceae family, such as thistles. But mallows from the Malvaceae family are another great choice.
Butterflies are also attracted to legumes like alfalfa and clover, according to Insect Lore.
Their caterpillars have large but similar appetites. While they prefer to eat thorns, they also like to eat other plants mentioned above.
When creating the perfect painted lady butterfly garden, be sure not to use herbicides or insecticides to avoid harming hungry caterpillars or their parents.
Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered topics ranging from local businesses and government in her hometown of Miami to technology and pop culture. You can relate to it LinkedIn or follow it X, formerly Twitter, Instagram AND TIK Tok: @juliamariegz