Alex Hyde / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on flower, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. September.

Lynn M Stone / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on Montauk Daisy, Madison, Connecticut, USA.

Stephen Dalton / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) resting on Bugle flower (Ajuga sp) with wings open, UK

Ingo Arndt / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) in flight, Germany

Silvia Reiche / Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly, Netherlands

Tim Fitzharris / American Painted Lady (Cynthia virginiensis) butterfly on Coneflower (Echinacea sp), New Mexico

Tim Fitzharris / American Painted Lady (Cynthia virginiensis) butterfly on sunflower, New Mexico

Jussi Murtosaari / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) showing its underwing, feeding on wildflower, Finland. August.

David Tipling / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) taking flight, Norfolk, England, UK. June.

David Tipling / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) resting on garden flowers, Norfolk, England, UK. June.

Ugo Mellone / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) sucking nectar from an acacia flower during spring migration. Aydar, Southern Morocco, Africa.

Ugo Mellone / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) sucking nectar from an acacia flower during spring migration, Aydar, Southern Morocco, Africa.

David Tipling / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) feeding, close up, Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK. July.

Alex Hyde / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardu) photographed on a white background in mobile field studio. Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK. September. Focus stacked image.

Pal Hermansen / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) in flight. Akershus, Norway. August.

Pal Hermansen / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) in flight. Akershus, Viken, Norway. August.

Pal Hermansen / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) in flight over coastal wildflowers of Sorrel (Rumex sp) and Thrift (Armeria maritima). Hallands Vadero, Scania, Sweden. June.

Andy Rouse / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) feeding on sedum (Hylotelephium) in a garden. Wales, UK. August.

Andy Rouse / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) feeding on sedum (Hylotelephium) in a garden. Wales, UK. August.

Andy Rouse / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) feeding on sedum (Hylotelephium) in a garden. Wales, UK. August.

Andy Rouse / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) flying over sedum (Hylotelephium) in a garden. Wales, UK. August.

Andy Rouse / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) flying over sedum (Hylotelephium) in a garden. Wales, UK. August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly. Finland. August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly. Finland. August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly nectaring on Thistle flower. Jyvaskyla, Central Finland. August.

Rod Williams / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui), London, England, UK, July.

Rod Williams / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) feeding on knapweed Sutcliffe Park Nature Reserve, Eltham, London, England, UK. June.

Ernie Janes / RF - Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) in flight to feed on verbena flowers (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)

Ernie Janes / RF - Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) feeding on Fleabane (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)

Ernie Janes / RF - Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) flying to feed on lavender flowers in garden. (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)

Ernie Janes / RF - Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) flying to feed on lavender flowers in garden. (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)

Ernie Janes / Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) feeding on Verbena flowers in garden. Norfolk, England, UK.

Ernie Janes / Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) flying to feed on Fleabane in garden. Norfolk, England, UK.

Ernie Janes / Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) feeding on lavender flowers in garden. Norfolk, England, UK.

Ernie Janes / Painted lady butterfly (Cynthia cardui) feeding on lavender flowers in garden. Norfolk, England, UK.

Mike Read / Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) with Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) in grassland at the entrance to De Soto National Wildlife Refuge, Iowa, USA, July.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) Denmark, August

Nick Upton / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) nectaring on Sea holly flowers (Eryngium maritimum) in coastal sand dunes, The Gower, Wales, UK, August.

Will Watson / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on Common bistort (Periscaria bistorta), Volyn Oblast, Ukraine, May.

Bernard Castelein / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly resting on plant. Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. August.

Bernard Castelein / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly resting on ground. Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. August.

Heather Angel / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) nectaring on Witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'). Surrey, England, UK. February.

Heather Angel / Painted lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui), three nectaring on potted Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum sp) in evening light. Urumqi Botanic Garden, Wushi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Septembe...

George Sanker / Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly nectaring. Acadia National Park, Maine, USA. September.