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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 9027 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 14, 2019
Submitted by: Aggielacie
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 24, 2019
Observation date: Mar 14, 2019
Submitted by: Aggielacie
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 24, 2019
Observation date: Mar 21, 2019
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 24, 2019
Observation date: Mar 21, 2019
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 22, 2019
Observation date: Mar 17, 2019
Submitted by: rseidler
Region: De Soto Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 21, 2019
Observation date: Mar 17, 2019
Submitted by: dawnbchaney
Region: Burleson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2019
Observation date: Feb 27, 2019
Submitted by: marley
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 17, 2019
Observation date: Mar 08, 2019
Submitted by: marilynne
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 13, 2019
Observation date: Mar 10, 2019
Submitted by: Jachan1
Region: Texas, United States, Webb County
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 11, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2018
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2019
Observation date: Feb 25, 2019
Submitted by: bttfly9@yahoo.com
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 26, 2019
Observation date: Feb 24, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 25, 2019
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Rensselaer County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 23, 2019
Observation date: Feb 19, 2019
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 20, 2019
Observation date: Jun 24, 2018
Submitted by: birdguy
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 18, 2019
Observation date: Feb 12, 2019
Submitted by: r0gerwilliams
Region: Caldwell County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 13, 2019
Observation date: Feb 05, 2019
Submitted by: KateTweedy
Region: Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Feb 12, 2019
Observation date: Feb 06, 2019
Submitted by: Andrew_Lyall
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 06, 2019
Observation date: Feb 02, 2019
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 03, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2017
Submitted by: altairpilot
Region: King County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 29, 2019
Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 25, 2018
Submitted by: angelradness
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 18, 2019
Observation date: Jan 09, 2019
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 12, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2018
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 24, 2018
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