This Painted Lady butterfly shows off the undersides of its delicate wings. Anza Valley Outlook/Courtesy photo
Typically for the first few weeks in March, the skies over the Anza Valley explode with delightful, colorful butterflies.Moving in large swarms, these determined insects have decorated cars to the horror of motorists suffering yellow smears on their windshields and grilles. Traffic can even be affected, as drivers slow to avoid too many butterfly collisions.Called moths, Monarchs and even pests, these interesting creatures are actually Painted Lady butterflies, with the beautiful scientific name of Vanessa cardui. While closely related to the Monarch butterfly, Painted Ladies are smaller and sport more colors than their larger cousins. But like the Monarch, the Painted Lady butterflies migrate great distances during their short lives, providing plants with pollination and predator
