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 49 - 72 of 10480 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 13, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
Observation date: Jun 14, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 08, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2024
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Clark County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 10, 2024
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Clark County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 10, 2024
Observation date: Jul 03, 2024
Submitted by: madisontishler
Region: Door County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 09, 2024
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: ravenfrank1
Region: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: Bookworm86
Region: Chautauqua County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 07, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 06, 2024
Observation date: Jul 02, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 02, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 02, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
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
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