Vanessa indica Vanessa indica Vanessa indica, called the Indian red admiral globally, except in the United States where it is called the Asian admiral, is a butterfly found in the higher altitude regions of India, primarily the Himalayas and the Nilgiri Hills. It is also found in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. It is a close relative of the painted lady. The subspecies of "Vanessa indica" are- This species resembles "Vanessa cardui" but the ground colour is darker both on the uppersides and undersides, and the orange markings are deeper and richer in tint. It also differs as follows: underside forewing: the ochraceous
Brachycaudus cardui "B. cardui" are usually attended by ants which feed on the honeydew the aphids produce and drive away predators. Researchers found that in a damp meadow which contained ragwort ("Jacobaea vulgaris") but no ants, although winged "B. cardui" arrived at the site, they failed to establish colonies despite an abundance of the host plant. In an experimental habitat, colonies of "B. cardui" on "J. vulgaris" flourished when ants were present but died out if ants were excluded. Infestation with "B. cardui" causes the margins of affected leaves to roll up. This aphid is a vector of plum pox, a serious