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Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is black with white spots near the apex; forewing with red median band, hindwing with red marginal band. The winter form is smaller and duller, summer form larger and brighter with an interrupted forewing band.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 3 inches (4.5 - 7.6 cm).
Life History: The Red Admiral has a very erratic, rapid flight. Males perch, on ridgetops if available, in the afternoon to wait for females, who lay eggs singly on the tops of host plant leaves. Young caterpillars eat and live within a shelter of folded leaves; older caterpillars make a nest of leaves tied together with silk. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Two broods from March-October in the north, winters from October-March in South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants of the nettle family (Urticaceae) including stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), tall wild nettle (U. gracilis), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), pellitory (Parietoria pennsylvanica), mamaki (Pipturus albidus), and possibly hops (Humulus).
Adult Food: Red Admirals prefer sap flows on trees, fermenting fruit, and bird droppings; visiting flowers only when these are not available. Then they will nectar at common milkweed, red clover, aster, and alfalfa, among others.
Habitat: Moist woods, yards, parks, marshes, seeps, moist fields. During migrations, the Red Admiral is found in almost any habitat from tundra to subtropics.
Range: Guatemala north through Mexico and the United States to northern Canada; Hawaii, some Caribbean Islands, New Zealand, Europe, Northern Africa, Asia. Cannot survive coldest winters; most of North America must be recolonized each spring by southern migrants.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 10393 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: Wonderfly24
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 11, 2024
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Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: billmaciejko
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 11, 2024
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Observation date: Apr 08, 2024
Submitted by: Quyen Edwards
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
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Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: Roose
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
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Observation date: Jun 09, 2024
Submitted by: smsmith14
Region: York County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 10, 2024
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Observation date: May 19, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
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Observation date: Apr 22, 2024
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
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Observation date: May 04, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Barton County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 03, 2024
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Observation date: May 29, 2024
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
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Observation date: May 26, 2024
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Details
Observation date: Jun 02, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Details
Observation date: Jun 02, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Details
Observation date: Jun 02, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Details
Observation date: Jun 01, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Details
Observation date: Apr 28, 2024
Submitted by: RaquelRobles
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
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Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 01, 2024
Details
Observation date: May 31, 2024
Submitted by: Lavenderp
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 01, 2024
Details
Observation date: Apr 10, 2024
Submitted by: turtlefish
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 31, 2024
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Observation date: May 19, 2024
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: May 31, 2024
Details
Observation date: May 07, 2024
Submitted by: atinkof2
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 26, 2024
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Observation date: May 14, 2024
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 25, 2024
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Observation date: May 25, 2024
Submitted by: Stephdflannigan
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 25, 2024
Details
Observation date: May 05, 2024
Submitted by: dcs8815
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Details
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: Mickeyb33
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Details
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