General: West Coast Lady Butterflies (Vanessa annabella), also called the West Coast Painted Lady Butterflies, are recognized as one of the "painted ladies" by the orange wings with black at the tips of the forewings, white spots in the black at the tip, and the small, round eye-spots on the hindwing. The underside of the wings are mottled with complex patters, including eye-spots on the hindwings. The shape of the forewings is triangular with a bit of an extension (a tab) at the tip.

This species is recognized by the orange bar in the black at the leading edge of the forewings (arrow), the four blue-centered eye-spots on the hindwings, and the four or five obscure eye-spots on the underside of the hindwings.

Two related species are similar to the West Coast Lady. The American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) is recognized by the two large, bold eye-spots on the underside of the hindwings (rather then 4-5 obscure eye-spots). The Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) is recognized by a white bar on the forewing (rather than orange).

Taxonomy: Family: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae); Subfamily: True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae).

Preferred Habitat: Wide habitat tolerance from deserts to weedy places and yards, including alpine areas to sea coasts, but generally sunny, open areas.

Where to Find: This species occurs throughout western North America from southern Canada to Central America

Comments: West Coast Lady; note that members of this genus have triangular wings with a bit of an extension, or tab, on the end of the forewing.