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 217 - 240 of 10433 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_2992_red_admiral.jpg?itok=QG3L3Gle)
Observation date: Jun 26, 2023
Submitted by: Gillian Richards
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 01, 2023
Submitted by: deedeepetersen
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 02, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc05570_0.jpg?itok=FW1zFcQr)
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: davek
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_9789.jpg?itok=VW7zhTvc)
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Dawn Cavalieri
Region: Bronx County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 30, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn2195_0.jpg?itok=7ERV3upU)
Observation date: Jul 13, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 30, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/triple.jpg?itok=WgzJDdpB)
Observation date: Jul 26, 2023
Submitted by: rtsmith
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/red_admiral_7.jpeg?itok=-9YZuGrO)
Observation date: Jul 28, 2023
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6004_5.jpg?itok=P5k3w9J0)
Observation date: Jul 25, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 27, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/screenshot_20230725_231602_inaturalist.jpg?itok=z0zWcHzJ)
Observation date: Jul 20, 2023
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Allegany County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 26, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_mg_0138_2.jpg?itok=fezP8C5T)
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: Maggie May
Region: St. Lawrence County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/red_admiral_middlefork_savanna_7-21-23.jpg?itok=VBrN0cD2)
Observation date: Jul 21, 2023
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ra_5_2_23_at_4pm.jpg?itok=j_ZItLeu)
Observation date: May 02, 2023
Submitted by: COA1955
Region: Morgan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/original_1_30.jpeg?itok=wvnmri3l)
Observation date: Jul 15, 2020
Submitted by: Smccarthy
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 22, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn5180.jpg?itok=gHox8LlH)
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 19, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/2023_07_18_red_admiral_stinging_nettle.jpg?itok=cZOd1rLY)
Observation date: Jul 18, 2023
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 19, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2110.jpeg?itok=8yBQj1Gm)
Observation date: Jul 17, 2023
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6356.jpeg?itok=Ny0CR7t7)
Observation date: Jun 27, 2023
Submitted by: DJ Jones
Region: Manistee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7214_0.jpeg?itok=98vZbf3r)
Observation date: Jul 10, 2023
Submitted by: DJ Jones
Region: Manistee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2073.jpeg?itok=N_vB1oYW)
Observation date: Jul 14, 2023
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 15, 2023
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Observation date: Jul 12, 2023
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 14, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dfagan_red_admiral_2_071223.jpg?itok=aTy3vLZR)
Observation date: Jul 12, 2023
Submitted by: dfagan746
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/7.13.23_red_admiral_besse_road_0.jpeg?itok=zyqo8TMT)
Observation date: Jul 13, 2023
Submitted by: Theresa Kerchner
Region: Kennebec County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 13, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/red_admiral_middlefork_savanna_7-11-23.jpg?itok=DMN0RwAM)
Observation date: Jul 11, 2023
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/red_admiral_chicago_botanic_garden_7-10-23.jpg?itok=Lnuc5TDn)
Observation date: Jul 10, 2023
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 12, 2023
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