The Red Admiral butterfly can be found in North America and Northern Europe in summer, but it has usually migrated up from the south. Plant some flowers to attract them.
The Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) is very widespread. In summer it can be seen in many temperate regions of Europe (and North America), but it has usually migrated up from the Mediterranean (or Guatemala).
Red Admiral adults will feed on the nectar of many flowers, being especially fond of the two ‘Butterfly Plants’ - Buddleia and Joe-Pye Weed. They also seem to like things that are fermenting and can easily get inebriated! The young love stinging nettles, so if you like to have butterflies around in the summer you should remember to grow some stinging nettles as well as the butterfly plants, then you will have the eggs and caterpillars as well.
When they are breeding Red Admirals are very territorial. In the afternoon the male will choose a territory and patrol it. The place he chooses is usually high up and sunlit so he should be easy to discover! If he spots a female he will court her, but if he spots another male (or you) he will become aggressive and attack. (So, if you don’t find him he might well find you!)
While Red Admirals can breed successfully in the north of their range, and will often hibernate, the cold weather usually kills them before the next spring. Normally the adults seen in the north will have migrated up from the south. Having said that, it is likely that a few adults will successfully overwinter - like the two in our church in Middlesbrough for example! - and that some might be able to migrate far enough south to survive.
Migration is an amazing feat for a butterfly, not only because of the distances involved, but also because of the complexities of navigation. The migration of Red Admirals is well documented but very poorly understood, and it is an area where the amateur naturalist can really make a contribution to science. If you are interested you might like to visit a research site and maybe share your own observations.
As an afterthought – the name ‘Red Admiral’ is often claimed to be of naval origin, but is much more likely to have derived from the much older name – ‘Red Admirable’. (It is true that many butterflies do have names with military connections, but probably not in this case!).
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