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Project Noah Nature School
Vanessa atalanta
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. They prefer sap flows on trees, fermenting fruit, and bird droppings; visiting flowers only when these are not available.
Europe, Asia & North America. March - October. Moist woods, yards, parks, marshes, seeps, moist fields. During migrations, the Red Admiral is found in almost any habitat from tundra to subtropics. Host Plants: Nettle (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).
Spotted on May 4, 2012
Submitted on May 7, 2012
2 Comments
Thanks Carol. They are so abundant here lately... They have begun posing for photographs & I find myself ignoring them because I have too many Red Admiral photos ;)
these butterflies are difficult to photograph. Great one!