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 193 - 216 of 10433 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/-red_admiral_our_yard_aug_20_2023_1111am.dscn7487.jpg?itok=j1I-fLA8)
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/large_11_2.jpg?itok=Z2cYDAJ3)
Observation date: May 09, 2016
Submitted by: Robb Hannawacker
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/image_2117.jpeg?itok=dyqqjYqF)
Observation date: Jul 24, 2017
Submitted by: mhearell
Region: Weber County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_0631_2_0.jpg?itok=5vHlFtBS)
Observation date: Aug 19, 2023
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn3521_1.jpg?itok=C2WcGCm-)
Observation date: Jul 24, 2017
Submitted by: dingoqueen
Region: Weber County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_9005.jpeg?itok=Qic2TYrp)
Observation date: May 01, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 19, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9103_0.jpeg?itok=x8-cSCvG)
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: Kara Henderson
Region: San Francisco County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/v._atalanta.jpeg?itok=wUqaEB1d)
Observation date: Aug 15, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230817_165511.jpg?itok=ChDx4WFS)
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: EPS
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230812-b70a1612-edit.jpg?itok=YKdShzSo)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: heather-russell
Region: Guilford County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 17, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2612_0.jpeg?itok=XkvOTjNK)
Observation date: Aug 15, 2023
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20230814_170558638.portrait.original.jpg?itok=ELeKBeYe)
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 14, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/vanessa_atalanta_red_admiral_butterfly_800_1914.jpg?itok=g2VTfyvo)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: chuck meier
Region: Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/butterfly_pic_1.jpg?itok=W_iaikdE)
Observation date: Aug 10, 2023
Submitted by: Amy O
Region: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/nh_-_a_-_dic_vanessa_atalanta_red_admiral_dinsmore_road_sidney_me_-_drl_08102023.jpg?itok=nzqKOuXx)
Observation date: Aug 10, 2023
Submitted by: DRLem23ME
Region: Kennebec County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_m5a8828.jpg?itok=LpsdJ3cl)
Observation date: Aug 03, 2023
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Madison County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4697_painted_lady.jpg?itok=gv3v4V9J)
Observation date: Aug 08, 2023
Submitted by: psmith
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/7-red_admiral_3_split_rock_rd_franklin_cty_ny_aug_6_2023_200pm.dscn7321.jpg?itok=e3vMTq97)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/6-red_admiral_2_split_rock_rd_franklin_cty_ny_aug_6_2023_157pm.dscn7308.jpg?itok=AiIpc9r2)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/5-red_admiral_1_split_rock_rd_franklin_cty_ny_aug_6_2023_156pm.dscn7296.jpg?itok=KZs1oHgq)
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7420_red_admiral.jpg?itok=JZx_WqLZ)
Observation date: Aug 08, 2023
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7403_red_admiral.jpg?itok=VHFCmlVH)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2023
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1276_9.jpg?itok=vQKI8p-c)
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: kittybev
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 07, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0015_1.jpeg?itok=XKZkTLyV)
Observation date: Jun 22, 2023
Submitted by: mdmconnors
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
- ‹ previous
- 9 of 435
- next ›