David Element's Wildlife Web Page 52 - Red Admiral Butterflies

David Element

Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images

___________________________________ _______________________________________Butterflies 52 - Red Admirals

RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY Vanessa atalanta

RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY Vanessa atalanta (ovum)

RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY Vanessa atalanta (larva)

A partial life-history of the Red Admiral Butterfly Vanessa atalanta is shown. They may be common but they are truly stunning butterflies – this is hopefully evident from the series of photographs of a pristine freshly emerged adult. Also worth noting is the effectiveness of the camouflage when the wings are closed. These powerful migrants should be familiar to all and if Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica patches are allowed to flourish (and are not sprayed) then gardeners may be rewarded by the sight of these butterflies ovipositing therefore enabling their eggs to be located. Unlike some other nymphalid butterflies the larvae of this species are solitary rather than communal. These butterflies are also very fond of over-ripe fruit and Ivy Hedera helix flowers in autumn and they may now be seen during most (if not all) months of the year if conditions are favourable (as they were in 2017 when the photographer recorded them during 11 consecutive months – another of the many consequences of global-warming).