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 193 - 216 of 10609 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 04, 2024
Submitted by: jcarter
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 30, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: Blayne Crabtree
Region: Morgan County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: May 29, 2024
Submitted by: pgrew1@unl.edu
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jun 28, 2024
Submitted by: dnight30
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jun 27, 2024
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: tbeltt
Region: Chisago County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 24, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: Geoff Urwin
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: May 10, 2024
Submitted by: Geoff Urwin
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: Oct 01, 2023
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: St. Charles County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 24, 2024
Observation date: Jun 22, 2024
Submitted by: merops
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 23, 2024
Observation date: Jun 16, 2024
Submitted by: davek
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 19, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: jmm82
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: Jovanina
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 18, 2024
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: Dizzywagner
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 16, 2024
Observation date: Jun 01, 2024
Submitted by: TJ in Derry
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 15, 2024
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