Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta
What it is
Vanessa atalanta, the red admiral or previously, the red admirable,is a well-characterized, medium-sized butterfly with black wings, orange 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, the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and New Zealand. It resides in warmer areas, but migrates north in...
Where and when to find it
- Habitat
- You can find them all across the United States, in gardens, fields, forests, and even city parks.
- How to find it
- Look for them near colorful flowers or sunlit paths. They might land on you if you stay still!
- Best time of day
- Daytime, especially sunny mornings; spring through fall.
How it lives
- What it eats
- Nectar from flowers, tree sap, rotting fruit, bird droppings.
- What eats it
- Birds, spiders, praying mantises, and some lizards.
Worth knowing
- Some Red Admirals migrate south for winter, like birds.
- Their caterpillars like to eat nettle plants.
- They have black, white, and bright red markings on their wings.
- Sometimes they land on people!
- The underside of their wings helps them camouflage as dry leaves.
- They are one of the most widespread butterflies in the world.
Why it matters
Red Admirals help pollinate flowers as they drink nectar. This helps plants make seeds and grow.