North American Ecology (US and Canada)

Vanessa annabella is a resident of the western United States and southwestern Canada and is migratory in some parts of its range (Scott 1986). Habitats are open areas and suburbs. Host plants are herbaceous, and include species from families Malvaceae and Urticaceae (and perhaps others). Eggs are laid on the host plant singly. Individuals overwinter as adults. There are variable numbers of flights each year depending on latitude, with many flights all year in the southern part of their range, two flights in the Rocky Mountains, the first in midsummer, the second in the fall, and one flight in higher mountains (Scott 1986). Some sources consider V. annabella a subspecies of V. carye (Scott 1986).