Red Admiral

  • Family name: Nymphalidae/Brush-Footed Butterflies
  • General description: Black; forewing with red median band a white subapical spots; hindwing with broad red marginal band; ventral hindwing mottled black, brown, blue and cream
  • Field Marks: Black with red forewing band and red hindwing margin
  • Sexes: Appear similar
  • Wingspan: 58-76 mm
  • Life Cycle: Egg: Small, green, laid singly on host leaves Mature larva: Black with fine white mottling, a lateral band of white spots, and numerous black branched spines Chrysalis: Gray-brown
  • Number of Generations: Two or three generationsRed Admiral larva
  • Flight Season: Spring through fall
  • Abundance: Common
  • Habitat: Forest margins, woodland openings, swamps, stream margins
  • Counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, De Soto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington
  • Larval Host Plants: Pellitory (Parietaria floridana), Stinging Nettle (Urtica urens), False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica)
  • Similar Species: No similar species
  • Additional Information: Larvae construct individual shelters on host by weaving leaves together with silk.

Florida wildflower vehicle license plateThe Florida Wildflowers & Butterflies projects at the Florida Museum are sponsored in part by the State of Florida and the Florida Wildflower Foundation, Inc.