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Mila'sExotic Plants & CuriositiesA living collection by Luminary OdditiesLuminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Vanessa atalanta
Lepidoptera / Nymphalidae
The Red Admiral has black upperwings crossed by vivid orange bands and white forewing spots. Its caterpillars construct leaf shelters on nettles, while the adult uses both nectar and fermenting food sources.
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Vanessa atalanta is a nymphalid butterfly. The North American subspecies is V. atalanta rubria. [1]
Black forewings carry an orange band and white spots near the tip; an orange border follows the hindwing edge. Beneath, the forewing band is pink-orange and the hindwing is marbled. [1]
The species ranges across Europe, northern Africa, Eurasia and North America. In the United States it favours moist openings near woodland. [1]
Females lay single eggs on host leaves. Caterpillars bind small leaves together or fold a larger nettle leaf into a tube, building successive shelters as they grow. [1]
Larvae eat Urtica, Boehmeria, Laportea and Parietaria. Adults take fermenting sap, fruit and dung, as well as nectar and moisture from soil. [1]
Males defend territories. Northern U.S. populations are replenished by seasonal movement from the south; in Florida, observed spring movements were northward. [1]
Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.
Hall and Butler, University of Florida IFAS Extension · Accessed 2026-10-11
Sources checked 2026-10-11. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
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