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 10067 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 27, 2022
Submitted by: theskyeworld
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 09, 2023
Observation date: May 01, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 02, 2023
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: flyinganvil
Region: Snohomish County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 01, 2023
Observation date: Sep 16, 2022
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Dec 30, 2022
Observation date: Dec 25, 2022
Submitted by: docentgal
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 26, 2022
Observation date: Nov 24, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Del Norte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Dec 08, 2022
Submitted by: Rmclaughlin
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 09, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2022
Submitted by: hclancy
Region: Bronx County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2022
Submitted by: hclancy
Region: Bronx County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2022
Submitted by: hclancy
Region: Bronx County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 30, 2022
Observation date: Nov 13, 2022
Submitted by: kjaldridge
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 23, 2022
Observation date: Nov 17, 2022
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, United States, Wichita County
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 19, 2022
Observation date: Nov 05, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 05, 2022
Observation date: Oct 25, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 25, 2022
Observation date: Oct 19, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
Observation date: Oct 15, 2022
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Piatt County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
Observation date: Sep 17, 2021
Submitted by: Chip Gilbert
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
Observation date: Oct 16, 2022
Submitted by: JolieElise
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 18, 2022
Observation date: Oct 14, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 16, 2022
Observation date: Oct 11, 2022
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 21, 2020
Submitted by: ObserverofGod'sart
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 12, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 12, 2015
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 01, 2022
Observation date: Sep 11, 2022
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Sep 27, 2022
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