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 481 - 504 of 10471 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 22, 2016
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 23, 2022
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: njhakim
Region: San Francisco County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 05, 2022
Observation date: May 18, 2022
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
Observation date: Sep 27, 2012
Submitted by: Ronald van Oosteroom
Region: Elkhart County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: Victoria Molnar
Region: New Kent County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Gingurr25
Region: Posey County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Sep 22, 2021
Submitted by: Gregkjones1753
Region: Hanover County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2021
Submitted by: Fetzkorn
Region: Roanoke County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 17, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: Sep 20, 2021
Submitted by: Geoff Urwin
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: Jun 15, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Apr 15, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 15, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 13, 2022
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 11, 2022
Observation date: Mar 18, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Francisco County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 03, 2022
Observation date: May 09, 2022
Submitted by: Karen Richardson
Region: Sherman County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 03, 2022
Observation date: Oct 23, 2011
Submitted by: Samela95437
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 02, 2022
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022
Observation date: Oct 07, 2021
Submitted by: heinert
Region: Burleigh County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: May 31, 2022
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