Summary ⁴

Color: 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.
Wingspan: 1 3/4 - 3 inches (4.5 - 7.6 cm)
Host plants: Nettle (Urticaceae); Mulberry (Moraceae)
Overwintering stage: adult
Mate-Location system: perching
Flight: Two broods from March-October in the north, winters from October-March in South Texas

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-atalanta
Scott, 1986 The Butterflies of North America

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Gilles San Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Gilles San Martin
2. (c) Ouwesok, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/95975006@N08/50056202062/
3. (c) Peter Broster, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Admiral_(Vanessa_Atalanta)_(8094944856).jpg
4. (c) mgillet, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/1729268

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• Butterflies and Moths of North America
• CalPhotos
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• Lepiforum
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• Maryland Moths
• Mass Moths
• Moth Photographers Group
• Moths of North Carolina
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• Pacific Northwest Moths
• Red Admiral and Painted Lady Research Site
• UK Moths

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