Food and Feeding: The red admiral butterfly feeds mainly on flower nectar. It also feeds on nettles and clover in the spring and summer, as well as on common flowers such as buddleia, Michaelmas daisy, and ice plant. It particularly likes daisies of the family Asteraceae because each flower contains a high concentration of nectar. The red admiral butterfly also feeds on ivy flowers and the juice of rotting fruit such as apples, which it shares with wasps and other vanessids (genus Vanessa). All vanessid butterflies have special taste organs located in their feet, but those of the red admiral butterfly are especially sensitive. The organs can distinguish between water and a sugar solution that is so weak that a person cannot tell the difference.

Development: The female red admiral butterfly lays her eggs on a wide range of food plants. She generally chooses the leaves of the nettle, or occasionally those of the hop plant, on which to lay her eggs. Each egg is laid singly and placed on the top surface of the leaf. The female lays up to 100 eggs per day. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars pull the leaves around them to form a protective enclosure. They then spin silken threads around themselves to serve as protection from predators as they feed.

Once they are fully grown, the caterpillars move to a hidden spot on the plant, usually near the base of a leaf by its stem, where they shed their skins and pupate (go through a non feeding stage of development). The cocoon they spin (chrysalis) has gold colored markings. The chrysalises of other vanessid butterflies often resemble the surfaces on which they rest.

Defense: The red admiral caterpillar has spiky extensions on its body that deter most birds, except the cuckoo, from attacking them. Still, they are very vulnerable to attack by parasitic wasps and flies. The red admiral butterfly is a strong flyer and only the most agile birds can catch it in flight. When it is resting, the butterfly conceals itself from view by closing its colorful wings. Still, the markings on its upper wings remain visible.

Migration and Hibernation: Although the red admiral butterfly is commonly seen in temperate areas, it is actually a migrant from the Mediterranean regions of Europe and from Guatemala and the Antilles in the western hemisphere. It flies north each spring and lays its eggs when it arrives at its breeding grounds. The offspring remain at the breeding grounds through summer and into the cold winter.
Like the painted lady, which also migrates, the red admiral butterfly seems to lack the instinct to return south as cold weather approaches. In the winter it attempts to hibernate in tree hollows, rocky crevices, or among plant debris, but the cold weather soon kills it. Some vanessids are heartier than the red admiral butterfly. The peacock, small tortoiseshell, and comma butterflies, for example, all survive the winter.

Naturewatch: Red admiral butterflies are a common sight in yards and vacant lots. Planting late blooming, nectar rich flowers is a sure way of attracting the butterflies to your yard, as natural supplies of food are scarce at that time. They are also attracted to nettles. Inspect leaves of favorite plants from May onward for eggs.

Key facts:
Characteristics:
Wingspan: 2-3 in.
Coloration: Red, black, and white
Legs: Front legs, stumps covered in brushes. Only uses rear two pairs of legs for walking

Breeding:
Breeding season: Spring
Eggs: 1-100 per day
Egg to chrysalis: 4-7 days
Chrysalis to pupation: 2-3 weeks

Lifestyle:
Diet: Mainly nectar of plants such as nettle, wild daisy, and clover. Also feeds on rotting fruit
Lifespan: About 10 months

Related Species: Vast number of different vanessid (genus Vanessa) species including painted ladies, peacock butterfly, commodore butterfly, tortoiseshell butterfly, and pansy butterfly.
Distribution: Found throughout North America, Europe, North Africa, and parts of Central America and the Middle East.
Conservation: The vanessids (genus Vanessa) are among the least endangered of butterflies, especially because they feed on plants that man encourages to grow.

Features of the Red Admiral Butterfly:
1. The red admiral butterfly is easily recognized by its distinctive markings. It lays its eggs, one at a time, on leaves.
2. Each caterpillar pulls its leaf around itself to form a protective enclosure. The leaf is held closed by silken threads.
3. During the late summer and early fall, the chrysalis hangs from the stem of its food plant. When the butterfly finally emerges, winter is approaching. Some species can survive the cold in hibernation, but the red admiral butterfly cannot.

Did You Know:
When red admiral butterflies migrate, they fly at five to nine miles per hour.
The red admiral butterfly’s name comes from the word admirable – it was admired for its bright coloration.
Five of the most common vanessids depend on the nettle plant as their primary source of food.
The painted lady, Cynthia cardui, is the world’s most common butterfly and one of the most widely distributed insects on earth.
Tortoiseshell and peacock caterpillars rise up and face their predators to intimidate them.

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