A medium-sized butterfly with sharp black wings crossed by bold red bars and tipped in white spots. One of the most cosmopolitan butterflies — found across most of the northern hemisphere.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Vanessa atalanta, the red admiral or, previously, the red admirable, is a well-characterized, medium-sized butterfly with black wings, red bands, and white spots. It has a wingspan of about 2 inches (5 cm). It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. The red admiral is widely distributed across temperate regions of North Africa, North America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. It resides in warmer areas, but migrates north in spring and sometimes again in autumn. Typically found in moist woodlands, the red admiral caterpillar's primary host plant is the stinging nettle ; it can also be found on the false nettle. The adult butterfly drinks from flowering plants like Buddleja and overripe fruit. Red admirals are territorial; females will only mate with males that hold territory. Males with superior flight abilities are more likely to successfully court females. It is known as an unusually calm butterfly, often allowing observation at a very close distance before flying away, also landing on and using humans as perches.
Source: Wikipedia — Vanessa atalanta Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Medium butterfly with dark wings; brilliant red-orange band across each forewing; white spots near wing tip; underside dark with subtle pattern.
Similar species. Red Admiral is distinctive in North America. Painted Lady (orange and black; different pattern). Mourning Cloak (cream wing margin).
Voice. N/A
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Adults: tree sap, rotten fruit, nectar (especially aster, milkweed, butterfly bush). Caterpillars: nettles (Urtica) and false nettle (Boehmeria).
Behavior. Common in gardens, parks, and woodland edges across North America. Migratory in northern range (from Mexico north into Canada each summer); resident in the South. Caterpillars build silken nests in nettle leaves. Adults frequently overwinter as adults in southern range — emerging on warm winter days.
§ Range
Across North America
§ Habitat
Diverse: gardens, fields, parks, woodland edges
§ Threats
Loss of nettle host plants, garden insecticides, climate-driven range shifts.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the red admiral is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Leave nettles in untended corners. Plant flowering nectar sources. Skip insecticides.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Vanessa atalanta
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Vanessa atalanta
- iNaturalist · taxon 49315
- IUCN Red List — search for Vanessa atalanta
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Vanessa atalanta
§ Sources cited
- Butterflies and Moths of North America
- Xerces Society
- iNaturalist
