# Red Admiral (*Vanessa atalanta*) The Red Admiral is a striking butterfly with dark wings and bright red bands. It often rests on flowers to soak up the sun! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 185 - **Habitat:** Woodlands, gardens, and parks - **Also known as:** Red Admirable, Red Admiral Butterfly ![Red Admiral](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424650/objects/5472.jpg) ## Appearance The Red Admiral has striking dark brown to black wings featuring bold, bright orange-red bands across the forewings and along the hindwing edges. Small white spots near the forewing tips further distinguish its appearance. Its mottled brown and blue underside provides excellent camouflage when resting. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Nymphalidae - **Genus:** Vanessa ## Interesting facts - Adult Red Admirals absolutely love to sip on juicy, fermenting fruit from the ground! - Despite their beauty, they sometimes drink from bird droppings to get extra nutrients! - Some Red Admirals can survive freezing winter by hiding in tree hollows or under bark! - Their caterpillars are so picky they only eat the leaves of stinging nettles! ## Special abilities - **Long-Distance Traveler:** Red Admirals can fly thousands of miles because of strong flight muscles that help them migrate across continents. - **Hidden Wings:** Red Admirals have mottled brown and blue undersides that help them blend in perfectly with tree bark or dead leaves when resting. - **Taste-bud Feet:** Red Admirals can taste with their feet because of special receptors that help them find sugary food sources like rotting fruit. - **Sticky Percher:** Red Admirals have tiny claws and sticky pads on their legs that help them perch firmly on leaves, flowers, or even tree trunks. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 45-60 mm - **Size:** 25-32 mm - **Lifespan:** 60-300 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults drink nectar, tree sap, and rotting fruit juice; caterpillars munch on stinging nettle leaves. - **Age differences:** Caterpillars exclusively eat stinging nettle leaves, while adults primarily drink nectar, tree sap, and fermenting fruit. - **Primary Foods:** Flower Nectar, Tree Sap, Fermenting Fruit, Stinging Nettle Leaves, Bird Droppings - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Stinging Nettle (*Urtica dioica*) — Caterpillars exclusively feed on its leaves for growth. - **Pollinates:** [New England Aster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/new-england-aster) (*Symphyotrichum novae-angliae*) — Adults drink nectar, helping to spread the plant's pollen. - **Eaten by:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — Birds like sparrows may prey on adult butterflies or caterpillars. - **Depends on:** [Apple Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/apple-tree) (*Malus domestica*) — Adults feed on fermenting fallen fruit from apple trees. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects-and-bugs) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red Admiral? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Red Admiral's wingspan? 45-60 mm ### How big is Red Admiral? 25-32 mm ### How long does Red Admiral live? 60-300 days ### How fast can Red Admiral fly? 10 km/h ### What does Red Admiral eat? Adults drink nectar, tree sap, and rotting fruit juice; caterpillars munch on stinging nettle leaves. ### Where is Red Admiral usually found? Woodlands, gardens, and parks ### How does Red Admiral hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Ambler Heights Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ambler-heights-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Anderson Japanese Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-japanese-gardens) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Arden Park–East Boston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arden-park-east-boston-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Arnold Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arnold-arboretum) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Red Admiral](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-admiral) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Red Admiral: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-admiral)