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 25 - 48 of 10357 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 30, 2024
Observation date: Apr 28, 2024
Submitted by: Mr.Pillar
Region: Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 26, 2024
Submitted by: mpav
Region: New York County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 25, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: My2boys97
Region: Schuyler County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: Alice Catherine...
Region: Stearns County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Apr 27, 2024
Observation date: Apr 18, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 19, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 26, 2024
Submitted by: NanSteve
Region: Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: OzGirl39
Region: Peoria County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 22, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Scott County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 24, 2024
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 21, 2024
Observation date: Apr 15, 2024
Submitted by: dcs8815
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 21, 2024
Observation date: Apr 15, 2024
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Athens County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 21, 2024
Observation date: Apr 16, 2024
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 21, 2024
Observation date: Apr 18, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 19, 2024
Observation date: Apr 10, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Eddy County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 18, 2024
Observation date: Apr 05, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Miami County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Grundy County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 15, 2024
Submitted by: Gingurr25
Region: Posey County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Apr 09, 2024
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
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