26 
North American population of this Holarctic butterfly is 
properly referred to the subspecies rubria (Fruhstorfer) . 
Cynthia virginiensis (Drury) 
American painted lady 
Papilio cardut virginiensis Drury 1773(1) 710 (type 
locality restricted to “Virginia” by Field 197IE49 Ne 
Pyrameis huntera: Worthington 1880:48. 
Vanessa virginiensis: Holland 1931:154; Klots 1951: 
108; dos Passos 1964:77 (No. 528). 
Illinois records.—Map 73. 
This insect, formerly known as Hunter’s butterfly, 
occurs throughout Illinois and is frequent to common. 
Like V. atalanta, it is characteristic of spring when over- 
wintered individuals appear, but it flies throughout the 
season until autumn. Although Klots (1951) stated that 
virginiensis is subject to the fluctuations in numbers 
which are characteristic of the genus, Shapiro (1966) 
disagreed with this statement. Our observations of the 
species in Illinois lead us to concur with the latter au- 
thor. Probably there are three broods in Illinois. The 
earliest date of capture is April 13 and the latest is 
October 2. In the generic placement of this species 
and the next we follow Field (1971). 
Cynthia cardui (Linnaeus) 
Painted lady, cosmopolite 
Papilio cardui Linnaeus 1758:475 (type-locality re- 
stricted to “Sweden” by Verity & Querci 1924:42). 
Pyrameis cardut: Worthington 1880:48. 
Vanessa cardui: Holland 1931:154; Klots 1951:107; 
dos Passos 1964:77 (No. 529). 
Illinois records.—Map 74. 
The painted lady, generally considered the most wide- 
ly distributed butterfly in the world, has been recorded 
from all parts of Illinois. It is, however, subject to 
great variation in abundance from year to year, in some 
seasons being common to abundant, and in others ex- 
tremely scarce or virtually absent, The species is strong- 
ly migratory, and it is believed that breeding popula- 
tions are reinforced by immigration during periods of 
abundance. The controlling factors of this fluctuation 
are not known with certainty. As in other species of 
Cynthia, there is also seasonal variation in size and color, 
the “wet” forms being large and brightly colored and 
“dry” forms being smaller and duller. Exceedingly aber- 
rant individuals also occur from time to time, but none 
+s known from Illinois. Records of capture range from 
April 7 through October 9. 
Precis coenia (Hiibner) 
Buckeye 
Junonia coenia Hubner “1806” [1822]: Plate 245 (type- 
locality restricted to “Cuba” by Comstock 1944: 
453); Holland 1931:156; dos Passos 1964:78 (No. 
BEND Is 
Junonia lavinia: Worthington 1880: 48. 
Precis lavinia coenia: Klots 1951:108. 
Illinois records—Map 75. 
Although Klots (1951) stated that there is a lack 
of complete understanding of the relationships of the 
various forms of this species, the student of Illinois but- 
terflies need not concern himself with this problem, for 
all Illinois material appears to be homogeneous and 
to represent the nominate coenia. However, the season- 
al variation that characterizes the species, é. g. “wet” 
and “dry” forms, does exist. We believe that P. coenia 
occurs throughout Illinois, and probably breeds through- 
out the state as well, but the resident population is 
thought to be annually reinforced, especially north- 
ward, by immigration from the south. The species ap- 
pears to be less common northward. P. coenia is evi- 
dently double-brooted, and the second (mid-August) 
brood is larger in numbers than the first. It has been 
taken from April 24 through October 29 but is most 
numerous in late July through September. Adults are 
wary insects, exceedingly difficult to approach. We 
follow Tilden (“1970” [1971]) in uniting the genera 
Precis and Junonia. 
Nymphalis vau-album j-album 
(Boisduval & Le Conte) » 
Compton tortoise shell 
Vanessa j-album Boisduval & Le Conte 1833:185 (type- 
locality “New York, Philadelphia, and New Har- 
mony, Indiana’). 
Grapta j-album: Worthington 1880:48. 
Aglais j-album: Holland 1931:152. 
Nymphalis j-album: Klots 1951:105. 
Nymphalis vau-album j-album: dos Passos 1964:78 (No. 
533a).. 
Illinois records.—Map 76. 
Recorded only from Cook, Lake, and Kane counties 
n extreme northeastern Illinois, this distinctive but- 
terfly occurs there consistently but usually rarely, prob: 
ably at the southern limits of its range in the Unitec 
States. In some seasons, however, @. &. 1893 (Snyde 
1896) and 1949 (P. S. Remington 1949) it appear 
in greater numbers than usual. The species is notabl 
periodic, and it is probable that these seasons of com 
parative numbers coincide with its years of abundanc 
farther north in the main portion of its range. I 
probably does not breed in our area. The species ha 
been recorded on March 27 (probably an overwit 
tered individual) and from July 15 through October 2: 
Nymphalis californica (Boisduval) 
California tortoise shell 
Vanessa californica Boisduval 1852:306 (type-locali 
“California’’) . 
Aglais californica: Holland 19312 Voz 
Nymphalis californica: Klots 1951:278; dos Passos 196+ 
Sa UNO I o4) 2 
Illinois records.—Coox County: Chicago, at lig 
inside building on Illinois Institute of Technology cat 
pus, August 20, 1952, L. S. Phillips (FMNH) (Philli 
1961, 1966). 
Obviously casual, the specimen was probably trar 
ported here by artificial means in some development 
stage. However, the species has also been found 
Michigan (Moore 1960), Iowa (Phillips 1966), Pen 
sylvania (Clench 1954), and New York (Klots 195! 
Nymphalis milberti (Godart) 
Milbert’s tortoise shell 
Vanessa milberti Godart 1819:307 (type-locality 
