Invertebrates
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta · also called red admirals
A red admiral lands on a pile of rotting fruit rather than a nearby flower bed, its bold orange-red wing bands flashing as it feeds, a butterfly capable of migrating hundreds of kilometres within a single season, though in a pattern far less studied than its famous monarch relative’s.
Overview
The red admiral, Vanessa atalanta, is a boldly patterned butterfly native to forested and open habitat across a very broad range spanning most of North America, extending into Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Its genuine long-distance migratory behaviour, unusual preference for rotting fruit and sap over flower nectar, and silk-shelter-building caterpillar make it one of the more behaviourally distinctive and widely distributed butterflies in the world.
A migrant that flies under the radar
While the monarch butterfly’s migration draws enormous public attention, the red admiral undertakes its own genuine long-distance journeys largely unnoticed, a migratory butterfly whose movements remain considerably less mapped and understood.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable habitat throughout most of North America and its broader global range, with some year-to-year population fluctuation linked to migration and weather.
Red Admiral: common questions
Does the red admiral really migrate like the monarch butterfly?
Yes, this species undertakes genuine long-distance migrations similar in principle to the monarch's much more famous journey, with individuals capable of covering hundreds of kilometres within a single season, though the red admiral's migratory patterns are considerably less predictable and far less studied than the monarch's well-documented multi-generational route.
Why does the red admiral prefer rotting fruit over flowers?
An adult of this species often favours feeding on tree sap, rotting fruit, and even animal dung over flower nectar, an unusual preference among butterflies that may reflect the higher concentration of sugars and nutrients available in fermenting or decaying organic material compared with some flower nectar sources.
What does a red admiral caterpillar eat and where does it live?
This species' caterpillar feeds almost exclusively on nettles and related plants, and it constructs a protective shelter by folding and tying together leaves of its host plant using silk, living and feeding safely within this self-made refuge rather than remaining exposed on the open leaf surface.
How can you identify a red admiral?
Look for striking orange-red bands crossing otherwise dark brown or black wings, a bold and distinctive pattern combined with a notably fast, strong, somewhat erratic flight style that together make this species one of the more immediately recognisable butterflies encountered across North America.