Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

Hold onto your hats: this is the most widespread butterfly species on the entire planet. Found on every continent except Antarctica, it's a true globetrotter that can show up almost anywhere. What makes it so unstoppable? Incredible migration ability, the capacity to produce multiple generations per year, and a diet so flexible it will eat almost any plant. When conditions are right, population explosions can create literal clouds of orange and black wings across the landscape.