Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta
Photo by Ralph from Pixabay
Summary
The gorgeous red admiral butterfly can be found worldwide, including at the SBG! Adults are easily identified by the bright orange-red bands and white spots on all four black wings. The caterpillars can be spotted snacking on their favorite host plant, stinging nettle (Urticaria dioica).
Using silken bands to curl the leaves inward, the caterpillars construct a tube-like shelter for protection, which has an ingenious feature. With the opening always located at the bottom of the leaf, it’s ‘self-cleaning’–frass rolls right out! Since many predators locate their prey by smell, the larvae are motivated to keep things as clean and odor-free as possible.
The preferred cuisine of adult butterflies includes tree sap, rotting fruit, and of course nectar–milkweed and asters are favorites. When summer’s over, red admirals head south in the fall, passing the winter in warmer spots such as Texas.
More Details
FAMILY
Nymphalidae (Brushfoots)
IDENTIFICATION
Wingspan 1.75-2.50 inches; Dorsal side black with red-orange band across forewing and along hindwing border.
HABITAT
Meadows, roadsides, parks, and gardens
LIFE CYCLE
Egg: Green barrel-like eggs on the topmost tender leaves. Caterpillar: develops branched spines, and may spin silk threads onto a host plant's leaf, folding it over to create a tent to hide in. Pupa: Chrysalis is decorated with shiny metallic gold spots. Adult: attracted to rotting fruit, dung and tree sap.
HOST PLANTS
Various nettles (Urtica, Laportea, Boehmeria)
Ecosystem Connections
Anyone who’s had a close and uncomfortably itchy encounter with stinging nettle might wonder what it’s good for. This question is answered in part by the beautiful red admiral, which requires nettles for host plants. All life stages of this butterfly provide food for wildlife.
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