# West Coast Lady (*Vanessa annabella*) The West Coast Lady is a colorful butterfly that loves to flutter around flowers. With its bright orange and black wings, it can be seen dancing in gardens and fields during warm days. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 25 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** West Coast Butterfly ![West Coast Lady](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/West_Coast_Lady%252C_Vanessa_annabella.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alan Vernon, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:West_Coast_Lady%252C_Vanessa_annabella.jpg) ## Appearance The West Coast Lady has orange-brown wings patterned with black and white spots. Its hindwings feature distinctive blue-ringed eyespots, and its forewings have bold black and white bars, making it stand out from similar butterflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Nymphalidae - **Genus:** Vanessa ## Interesting facts - Its antennae help it smell flowers and feel its surroundings, acting like super-sensors! - Its colorful wings are covered in thousands of tiny, overlapping scales! - This butterfly starts as an egg, becomes a caterpillar, then a chrysalis, and finally a beautiful butterfly! - This butterfly tastes with its feet! It 'tastes' plants by landing on them! ## Special abilities - **Long-Distance Traveler:** West Coast Lady can travel long distances with its strong wings, helping it find new homes and abundant flower patches. - **Nectar Sipper:** West Coast Lady can unfurl a long, straw-like proboscis, using it to sip sweet nectar deep inside flowers. - **Host Plant Finder:** West Coast Lady lays eggs on specific host plants, ensuring its caterpillars have the perfect food to grow. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 45-60 mm - **Size:** 20-30 mm - **Lifespan:** 10-20 days - **Flight Speed:** 10-20 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Caterpillars munch on leaves, while adult butterflies drink flower nectar and fruit juices. - **Age differences:** Caterpillars eat plant leaves, but adults sip liquid nectar from flowers using their long proboscis. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Tree sap, Ripening fruit, Mallow leaves, Hollyhock leaves, Cheeseweed - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Common Mallow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-mallow) (*Malva neglecta*) — provides essential food for its caterpillars to grow. - **Pollinates:** [Canada Goldenrod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canada-goldenrod) (*Solidago canadensis*) — sips nectar, spreading pollen between its golden flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Steller's Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stellers-jay) (*Cyanocitta stelleri*) — is a common bird predator, eating adult butterflies. ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch butterflies from a distance so they don't get scared. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify West Coast Lady? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is West Coast Lady's wingspan? 45-60 mm ### How big is West Coast Lady? 20-30 mm ### How long does West Coast Lady live? 10-20 days ### How fast can West Coast Lady fly? 10-20 km/h ### What does West Coast Lady eat? Caterpillars munch on leaves, while adult butterflies drink flower nectar and fruit juices. ### Where is West Coast Lady usually found? Urban areas ### How does West Coast Lady hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Blake Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blake-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Sonoma Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sonoma-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Theater District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/theater-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Sacramento Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sacramento-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Andree Clark Bird Refuge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/andree-clark-bird-refuge) — California, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see West Coast Lady](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/west-coast-lady) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [West Coast Lady: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/west-coast-lady)