Red Admiral Butterfly Vanessa atalanta

The Red Admiral is a striking and recognizable butterfly found across a wide range, including North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa. It's a frequent visitor to gardens and enjoys diverse habitats like meadows, marshes, woodlands, and urban parks. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. The Red Admiral is also known as "Red Admirable," according to Mass Audubon. This medium-sized butterfly has a wingspan ranging from 1.75 to 3 inches (4.5 to 7.6 cm). The dorsal side of its wings is mostly black, featuring a prominent, bright orange or reddish band across the forewings and a red band along the outer edge of the hindwings. White spots are present near the tips of the forewings. The underside of the hindwings has a mottled brown and black pattern, while the forewings display patches of red, white, and blue.Red Admirals exhibit summer and winter forms. The summer form is larger and more brightly colored, while the winter form is smaller and duller. The Red Admiral's legs and eyes are hairy, and its head is moderately large.Females lay greenish, barrel-shaped eggs singly on the upper surface of host plant leaves.Red Admiral caterpillars are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and can vary in color, ranging from black, gray, brown, reddish, or yellowish-green. They construct leaf shelters by folding and webbing together the edges of leaves, within which they feed and develop. The larval stage typically lasts 3 to 4 weeks.The caterpillar pupates within its leaf shelter, hanging upside down. The chrysalis is pale gray with gold dots, covered in short spines, and often resembles a withered leaf. The pupal period ranges from 6 to 82 days, depending on temperature, according to Wikipedia. The adult butterfly emerges from the chrysalis and has a lifespan of up to six months in summer and up to nine months in winter, according to www.lifeoncsgpond.com.
Caterpillars Feed on plants in the nettle family (Urticaceae), including stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica). They may also eat hops (Humulus lupulus).
Adults Primarily feed on tree sap, decaying fruit, and bird droppings. They are also attracted to wet soil for minerals and electrolytes, a behavior known as wicking. While they sometimes visit flowers like milkweeds, asters, and clovers, this is less frequent than other food sources. Red Admirals are migratory butterflies, with populations in northern regions migrating south for the winter to warmer areas like the southern US and Mexico. Males are territorial and patrol specific areas, darting out to chase off intruders, including other males. They will perch on prominent spots like tree trunks, rocks, or even on humans. Mating typically occurs in late autumn or early winter, followed by migration to warmer climates. The Red Admiral is a widespread species and is considered to be globally secure. Although some evidence suggests declines in certain regions of the western US, its overall population trend appears stable or even increasing in other areas like the northeastern and midwestern US. Conservation efforts can involve planting nettles in gardens and providing diverse nectar sources to support these butterflies.