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.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 433 - 456 of 10471 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 29, 2022
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
Observation date: Aug 30, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Van Buren County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: Lidia Martinez
Region: El Paso County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Sep 03, 2022
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: ngpBAM14
Region: Garfield County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: philsfotos1
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2022
Submitted by: BDashiell
Region: Wicomico County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: TLee58flyinflowers
Region: Fayette County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: Breck Breckenridge
Region: Island County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 07, 2022
Submitted by: Jennie Lanzendorf
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: Stacey D
Region: Chatham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 24, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 14, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 18, 2022
Observation date: Aug 16, 2022
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 17, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2022
Submitted by: sherdelune
Region: Wicomico County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 15, 2022
Observation date: Jul 26, 2022
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 15, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2022
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Roanoke County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
Observation date: Oct 11, 2021
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2016
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Burke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 13, 2022
Observation date: Jul 09, 2015
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Burke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 04, 2022
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Colbert County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
- ‹ previous
- 19 of 437
- next ›