Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is black with white spots near the apex; forewing with red median band, hindwing with red marginal band. The winter form is smaller and duller, summer form larger and brighter with an interrupted forewing band.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 3 inches (4.5 - 7.6 cm).
Life History: The Red Admiral has a very erratic, rapid flight. Males perch, on ridgetops if available, in the afternoon to wait for females, who lay eggs singly on the tops of host plant leaves. Young caterpillars eat and live within a shelter of folded leaves; older caterpillars make a nest of leaves tied together with silk. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Two broods from March-October in the north, winters from October-March in South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants of the nettle family (Urticaceae) including stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), tall wild nettle (U. gracilis), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), pellitory (Parietoria pennsylvanica), mamaki (Pipturus albidus), and possibly hops (Humulus).
Adult Food: Red Admirals prefer sap flows on trees, fermenting fruit, and bird droppings; visiting flowers only when these are not available. Then they will nectar at common milkweed, red clover, aster, and alfalfa, among others.
Habitat: Moist woods, yards, parks, marshes, seeps, moist fields. During migrations, the Red Admiral is found in almost any habitat from tundra to subtropics.
Range: Guatemala north through Mexico and the United States to northern Canada; Hawaii, some Caribbean Islands, New Zealand, Europe, Northern Africa, Asia. Cannot survive coldest winters; most of North America must be recolonized each spring by southern migrants.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 10482 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 23, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 27, 2024
Observation date: Nov 22, 2024
Submitted by: starmans
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 24, 2024
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 30, 2023
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Nov 16, 2024
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 16, 2024
Observation date: Nov 15, 2024
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 16, 2024
Observation date: May 25, 2023
Submitted by: Victoire Batiste
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Jul 22, 2023
Submitted by: Buddy Fly
Region: Camden County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Oct 27, 2024
Submitted by: AngMaj
Region: Sierra County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 04, 2024
Observation date: Nov 02, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 22, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 23, 2024
Observation date: Oct 18, 2024
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 19, 2024
Observation date: Oct 11, 2024
Submitted by: Arden K. Powell
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 17, 2024
Observation date: May 16, 2010
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 10, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2011
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 05, 2024
Observation date: Aug 30, 2024
Submitted by: hcwach
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 30, 2024
Observation date: Sep 28, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 29, 2024
Observation date: Dec 28, 2021
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 15, 2024
Observation date: Apr 15, 2024
Submitted by: pegreinhart
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 14, 2024
Observation date: Sep 09, 2024
Submitted by: Bob_1948
Region: Delaware County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 30, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 04, 2024
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 03, 2024
Observation date: Aug 29, 2024
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 02, 2024
Observation date: Aug 31, 2024
Submitted by: SpaceKing
Region: Noble County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 31, 2024
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