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 457 - 480 of 10471 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 08, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 08, 2022
Observation date: Oct 13, 2021
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2012
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 04, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 03, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2022
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Benton County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: kcdemille
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 30, 2022
Observation date: Jun 01, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 29, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: electricfig
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 29, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2022
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2022
Observation date: Jul 27, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 28, 2022
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 27, 2022
Observation date: Jun 28, 2021
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 26, 2022
Observation date: Jul 21, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 24, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: Laurie Mac
Region: Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 11, 2022
Submitted by: mbroen
Region: Pierce County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
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