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 505 - 528 of 10471 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 20, 2022
Submitted by: CaraLundquist
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 31, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2022
Observation date: May 27, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 28, 2022
Observation date: May 26, 2022
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 27, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 24, 2022
Observation date: May 04, 2022
Submitted by: maraleemoats
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 20, 2022
Observation date: May 10, 2022
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 12, 2022
Observation date: May 11, 2022
Submitted by: Beeeater
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 12, 2022
Observation date: May 05, 2022
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 10, 2022
Observation date: May 07, 2022
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: May 04, 2022
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 06, 2022
Observation date: Apr 27, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 06, 2022
Observation date: May 04, 2022
Submitted by: Vickie J Anderson
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 04, 2022
Observation date: May 04, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 04, 2022
Observation date: Apr 29, 2022
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 30, 2022
Observation date: Apr 19, 2022
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 21, 2022
Observation date: Apr 17, 2022
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 18, 2022
Observation date: Apr 18, 2022
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Craighead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 18, 2022
Observation date: Apr 16, 2022
Submitted by: dlister
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 17, 2022
Observation date: Apr 15, 2022
Submitted by: Buggy Banter
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 17, 2022
Observation date: Apr 15, 2022
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 16, 2022
Observation date: Apr 09, 2022
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 10, 2022
Observation date: Apr 02, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 09, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 07, 2022
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