Red Admiral Butterfly
Red Admiral Butterfly Coloration, Characteristics and Size
The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) features a black forewing with white spots at the tip, and a bank of bright red-orange on the trailing edges.
It is friendly to humans, but will challenge other butterflies, birds and mammals. They are territorial and highly agressive.
The wingspan of the Red Admiral is in the 1.8" - 2.5" range.
Distribution and Habitat of the Red Admiral
The Red Admiral is found throughout all the United States, southern Canada and all of Mexico. They prefer shrubby fields, marshes, streamsides, clearings and urban landscapes.
Host Plants Used by the Red Admiral
Hosts used by the Red Admiral include nettle, false nettle, pellitory and related plants.
Red Admiral Butterfly Life Cycle Stages and Times
| Stage | Typical Duration |
| Egg stage | 4 to 14 days |
| Caterpillar (larval) stage | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Chrysalis (pupal) stage | 7 to 14 days |
| Adult butterfly stage | 6 to 20 days |
Photos of Red Admiral Butterflies
Red Admiral Butterfly (dorsal view)
Red Admiral Butterfly (dorsal view)
Red Admiral Butterfly (ventral view) on a pink Zinnia
Red Admiral Butterfly (ventral view) |
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