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 49 - 72 of 10362 verified sightings
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
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 13, 2024
Observation date: Apr 08, 2024
Submitted by: PhotoGwen88
Region: Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
Observation date: Apr 09, 2024
Submitted by: CaraGB
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
Observation date: Apr 08, 2024
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 08, 2024
Observation date: Apr 05, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Foard County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 08, 2024
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 07, 2024
Observation date: Apr 27, 2017
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 07, 2024
Observation date: Mar 29, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 01, 2024
Observation date: Mar 24, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Pulaski County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 29, 2024
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
- ‹ previous
- 3 of 432
- next ›