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 313 - 336 of 10465 verified sightings
Observation date: May 19, 2023
Submitted by: sasd
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 19, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2023
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 18, 2023
Observation date: Jun 12, 2023
Submitted by: thomas o. taylor
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: May 10, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Wolfe County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: kbg
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 04, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 03, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 03, 2023
Observation date: May 30, 2023
Submitted by: sseagrave
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 02, 2023
Observation date: May 17, 2023
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 02, 2023
Observation date: May 29, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 30, 2023
Observation date: May 09, 2023
Submitted by: Shawnann74
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 29, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 26, 2023
Observation date: Feb 05, 2023
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 25, 2023
Observation date: May 17, 2023
Submitted by: ktnbcn
Region: Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 25, 2023
Observation date: May 22, 2023
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Texas, Montague County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2023
Observation date: May 14, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: May 15, 2023
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 22, 2023
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