Vanessa atalanta
Caterpillars munch on:
Adults take nectar from a range of flowers including:
They also feed on rotting fruit and sap from trees
Some Red Admirals migrate for the winter, to Spain, Portugal, Southern Europe and North Africa. Others stay behind, in parts of Southern England, sheltering in cool, dark places like outhouses, tree hollows and rabbit holes. This appears to be happening more often, as our climate gets milder.
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There is even more about this species on the main Butterfly Conservation website
Most species of butterfly that spend the winter as adults enter a sleep-like state (called torpor), but Red Admirals don’t and may fly about on warmer days, looking for food.
