Australian Painted Lady
(Vanessa kershawi)
Australian Painted Lady is restricted to Australia, while a related species Vanessa cardui is distributed worldwide. It is found predominantly in southern Australia below the Tropic of Capricorn, and not found at all in the far north. It is also known to migrate across to new Zealand but does not reproduce there.
Host Plant:
Yellow Buttons or common everlasting,(Chrysocephalum apiculatum) a perennial herb up to 60cm tall.
Paper Daisy, (Xerochrysum bracteatum) also known as Golden everlasting or Strawflower.
Learn more about the Australian Painted Lady in the book Create More Butterflies by Frank Jordan & Helen Schwencke, available from Earthling Enterprises