I may be mistaken, but I think it's an American Painted Lady.

Caterpillar hosts: Plants in the sunflower family everlasting (Gnaphalium obtusifolium), pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), plantain-leaved pussy toes (Antennaria plantaginifolia), wormwood (Artemisia), ironweed (Vernonia), and burdock (Arctium).

Adult food: Flower nectar almost exclusively, including dogbane, aster, goldenrod, marigold, selfheal, common milkweed, and vetch.

Beautiful picture.

Most likely laying eggs ... keep an eye out :-)

Edna

Oh, Lorna!

Your Maximillion Sunflowers are beautiful!
You and Brenda!
I am so jealous!

Annie

Lorna,
Gorgeous sunflowers! LOVE the happy colors! I like that the center cones aren't contrasting like some of the other sunflowers.

Cameron

When I looked at the second pic, I thought out loud, "That's a Painted Lady" and my DH looked, and said he didn't know. Then when I read Edna's, decided I was right.

I need to check to see if those Maximillion Sunflowers will grow here. I love the way the flowers go up the stem. Pretty!

Sue, who has lots of Painted Lady butterflies, and a few Monarchs

I've never seen monarchs on my maximilian sunflowers, but they seem to love verbena bonariensis, echinaceas, butterfly bushes, and others. Here's one of mine.

Well, phooey, I've always thought that type of butterfly was a Monarch. Thanks for correcting me. Are the Monarchs about the size of a Swallowtail? If so, I've seen a couple of those large ones in recent weeks.

The Maximmillian flowers seem to glow, they are such a bright, pure yellow. They are eye-catchers, even from a distance. I saw a large stand of them near a farmhouse, when I was driving down the old highway last week. The flower stalks practically shout, LOOK AT US.

Lorna

The monarchs are, en mass,heading to Mexico, or, might be there as we speak. They left here a couple of weeks ago,and will stop only for nutrition and rest along the way. Seeing a group together is apparently not unsual...gottagarden is showing the real thing in her photo.

Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: map of monarch migration

Painted Ladies mimic the look of a Monarch as a defense. Monarchs are poisonous. Once ingested by a predator the predator gets very ill and will never touch another.

Lorna ~ I am jealous of those sunflowers also. Those are gorgeous! I wonder if they will grow down here. Do you grow yours from seeds? Butterflies are camera shy that's for sure. You got a couple of nice pictures though.

FlowerLady

Lorna your M. sunflowers are gorgeous, Monarch, Painted Lady, at least you've got some visiting. My butterfly sightings add up to 3 Swallowtails but not in my garden, loads of Cabbage guys, in my garden and 1 lone L. Admiral that didn't like me, kept dive bombing me :o(. We finally have loads of honey bees, after being absent all year until now. I'm thinking some bee keeper close by has just brought his hives home for the winter.
Annette

It takes practice to identify butterflies. I still get them wrong sometimes after years of practice. I'm always happy just to have "Dark swallowtails, yellow butterflies, orange butterflies, little skippers" -- as long as I have critters.

Your sunflowers are beautiful.

Nell

I've seen very few butterflies all year. Then to suddenly have ten or so, plus the cabbage moths which are always flitting about, was rather spectacular. :-) The Painted Ladies were still in the garden today. I'll bet Edna is right, there will soon be caterpillars.

Flower, I'll be happy to collect some seeds, if you want to give Max a try. They are somewhat invasive in that they spread, but shovel pruning would take care of that.

I started mine from a 4" potted plant. A seed self sowed and began a second stand. I took a hunk from the oldest plant and started a third stand. My three have grown in perfect rounds. They have been rather orderly in the way they spread.

Lorna

Lorna, my very best day of butterfly picture taking was in October. I think they like the cooler weather....that's my theory anyway :)

The butterfly forum has been fantastic for helping me id my butterflies. If I see one I don't recognize they are always helpful. Actually, the Oklahoma forum has been helpful to id all my other critters :)

Lisa

Here is a link that might be useful: Lisa's butterflies

I did see a Monarch yesterday. I was in the house, closing a window, when I saw it. Having the Painted Ladies around, plus the photo Brenda provided, has taught me the difference. I suppose it would be a good idea for me to drop by the butterfly forum now and again, Lisa, thanks for the idea.

Lorna

Here is a good site to learn about Monarch
Migration. There is a Fall Migration Map.

Here is a link that might be useful: Monarch Watch: Migration and Tagging

Your sunflowers are the most beautiful I have ever seen!!!
I'm wondering whether you have collected some seeds of them. If so, may I send postage for the seeds? Or are you interested in trading them with some seeds I have in my list?

I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Nita