Attributes of Vanessa atalanta
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.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Vanessa atalanta
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 200 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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May 06, 2012 | madtom | Bennington County, Vermont, United States | May 16, 2012 | Details |
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April 27, 2012 | K Stilwell | Russell County, Virginia, United States | May 16, 2012 | Details |
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April 19, 2012 | hdad58 | Coos County, New Hampshire, United States | May 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 21, 2012 | Rick Henle | Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States | May 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 20, 2012 | K Stilwell | Russell County, Virginia, United States | May 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 28, 2012 | JB | Bedford County, Virginia, United States | May 15, 2012 | Details |
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May 02, 2012 | mpickens1 | Houghton County, Michigan, United States | May 15, 2012 | Details |
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May 02, 2012 | shpd614 | Berrien County, Michigan, United States | May 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 20, 2012 | marquy | Wayne County, Michigan, United States | May 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 16, 2012 | Chip Krilowicz | Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States | May 13, 2012 | Details |
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May 09, 2012 | Linda Beek | Dakota County, Minnesota, United States | May 13, 2012 | Details |
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May 09, 2012 | dendroica5 | Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States | May 13, 2012 | Details |
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May 12, 2012 | Mary M | Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States | May 13, 2012 | Details |
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May 12, 2012 | schmev24 | Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States | May 13, 2012 | Details |
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May 12, 2012 | katawma | Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States | May 13, 2012 | Details |
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May 12, 2012 | Lauenstein | Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States | May 13, 2012 | Details |
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May 01, 2012 | anderp | Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States | May 10, 2012 | Details |
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May 01, 2012 | ashirey4213 | Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States | May 10, 2012 | Details |
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May 02, 2012 | Moltke | Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States | May 10, 2012 | Details |
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May 05, 2012 | BeaLaporte | Ontario, Canada | May 10, 2012 | Details |
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May 10, 2012 | cobal2913 | Franklin County, Ohio, United States | May 10, 2012 | Details |
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April 15, 2012 | saapple | Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States | May 09, 2012 | Details |
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April 29, 2012 | CarolStevens | Ontario, Canada | May 09, 2012 | Details |
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April 13, 2012 | cobal2913 | Delaware County, Ohio, United States | May 07, 2012 | Details |
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May 03, 2012 | Stardust | Ontario, Canada | May 06, 2012 | Details |
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May 04, 2012 | cmykgraphics | Nassau County, New York, United States | May 06, 2012 | Details |
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May 03, 2012 | Carol1965 | New York, United States | May 06, 2012 | Details |
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May 03, 2012 | kcorbett32 | Monroe County, New York, United States | May 05, 2012 | Details |
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May 03, 2012 | cassb | Ontario County, New York, United States | May 05, 2012 | Details |
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May 04, 2012 | Haze | New Brunswick, Canada | May 05, 2012 | Details |
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April 14, 2012 | slbaird1957 | Texas, Tarrant County, United States | May 03, 2012 | Details |
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April 29, 2012 | slbaird1957 | Texas, Tarrant County, United States | May 03, 2012 | Details |
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May 03, 2012 | annigma | Summit County, Ohio, United States | May 03, 2012 | Details |
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April 15, 2012 | cheidelman | Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States | May 03, 2012 | Details |
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April 15, 2012 | JimConrad | Adams County, Mississippi, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 15, 2012 | girlboheme | Kent County, Michigan, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 26, 2012 | mbarnes | Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 16, 2012 | lpessetto | Dallas County, Texas, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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March 31, 2012 | flacracker | Adams County, Mississippi, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 17, 2012 | whbauer | Bexar County, Texas, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 30, 2012 | tkingsto | Texas, Lubbock County, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 30, 2012 | Leigh56 | Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 27, 2012 | curtis.lehman (Michael Hensley) | Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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April 26, 2012 | monstermoose | Henry County, Indiana, United States | May 01, 2012 | Details |
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May 01, 2012 | mumstheword | Lorain County, Ohio, United States | May 01, 2012 | Details |
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April 17, 2012 | stjohnce | Brown County, Minnesota, United States | April 30, 2012 | Details |
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April 29, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States | April 30, 2012 | Details |
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April 29, 2012 | Karen Adams | Franklin County, Ohio, United States | April 30, 2012 | Details |
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April 30, 2012 | stokese | Chatham County, North Carolina, United States | April 30, 2012 | Details |
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April 25, 2012 | June Byshenk | Cook County, Illinois, United States | April 29, 2012 | Details |
