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 1 - 24 of 10300 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 27, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 28, 2024
Observation date: Mar 23, 2024
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 23, 2024
Observation date: Mar 21, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 22, 2024
Observation date: Mar 16, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 22, 2024
Observation date: Mar 16, 2024
Submitted by: Ty-Sharrow
Region: Craighead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2024
Observation date: Mar 16, 2024
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 17, 2024
Observation date: Mar 15, 2024
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Sep 27, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Lyon County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Aug 25, 2023
Submitted by: lizmcd
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 13, 2024
Observation date: Mar 04, 2024
Submitted by: pamelmmc
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 12, 2024
Observation date: Mar 07, 2024
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 07, 2024
Observation date: Feb 16, 2024
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 17, 2024
Observation date: Feb 07, 2024
Submitted by: SaxPat
Region: Hays County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 17, 2024
Observation date: Feb 13, 2024
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 13, 2024
Observation date: Feb 09, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 10, 2024
Observation date: Jan 22, 2024
Submitted by: sasd
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 23, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2017
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Brookings County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 18, 2024
Observation date: Jul 16, 2023
Submitted by: asand
Region: Iron County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: ellasheaphillips
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Jan 10, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 11, 2024
Observation date: Feb 27, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 01, 2024
Observation date: Dec 29, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 30, 2023
Observation date: Dec 07, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 08, 2023
Observation date: Nov 30, 2023
Submitted by: kjaldridge
Region: Bell County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 04, 2023
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