Red Admiral butterfly
Vanessa atalanta
family - Nyphalidae
The Red Admiral is mainly a dark chocolate brown/black. There are red/orange bands and white markings. I class it as one of the "big and brown" butterflies that visit Buddleia.
My personal observations of Red Admiral butterfly
months seen in my garden: March, mainly August, up to November
garden plants that attract this species:
Aster, Buddleia,
Ceratostigma, Cimicifuga,
Clethra, Cotoneaster,
Hebe, Helichrysum,
Hemp agrimony, Ivy,
Marigold, Michaelmas
Daisy, Mint, Sedum,
Verbena
butterfly sightings 2005:
Seen in garden, daily 1-5 August
Feeding on Buddleia at Organic Farm shop, 18 August
Feeding on Verbena bonariensis, 28 August
4 Red Admirals on Hemp agrimony
at Coaley Peak, 3 September
Red Admiral on Ceratostigma and Hebe, 12 September
Another on Sedum spectabile, 12 September
Red Admiral on Hebe, 15 and 17 September
Red Admirals seen along path to town, 20 and 29 September
Feeding on Aster at Upton House, 2 October
Seen in Bath, 15 October
2 Red Admirals seen in Dorset, 27 October
Seen in garden, 31 October and 13 November
butterfly sightings 2004:
Red Admiral resting on paving slab, 22 June
top 10 memorable images of 2003:
I have 74 digital images of the Red Admiral butterfly saved from 2003.
Resting on dogwood. August
26.
Side view. On Buddleia Nanho
Blue. August 4.
A very old & battered
Red Admiral. August 23.
On Ivy. September 28.
On Sedum spectabile. August
29.
Side view. Feeding on Ivy.
September 28.
Side view. On Mint. August
31.
At Northleach, Gloucestershire.
Outside the former House of Correction was a shrub in a tub with a resting
Red Admiral. September 3.
In the background is the bridge at Stourhead. Spotted a Small Tortoiseshell
on a Clethra in the Plant
Centre, so when I walked around the lake I was looking for the plant in
situ. August 12.
Close-up. August 22.
Selected images from previous years:
5 September 2002 on Ceratostigma
at Westonbirt
5 September 2002 on Verbena
at Westonbirt
15 August 2002
7 March 2002 in Randwick Woods
20 September 2000 on Hebe aurea
observations:
I've seen a Red Admiral in early March and I've seen them in November. They seem to belong to autumn though when they enjoy blackberries, plums and other ripe fruit.
Reference Section
Size: 67-72mm (slightly larger size than Large White - see list of butterflies by size)
First Generation flight period: May-July
Second Generation flight period: Aug-Nov (classed as regular migrant. A
few Red Admiral butterflies may hibernate in S. England)
Habitat:
Larval Food Plants: Nettles, Hops
Wild Nectar Plants: Hemp agrimony
Family Group: Nymphalidae - see list of butterflies by family