Red Admiral
Red Admiral
Insect
A striking black butterfly banded with scarlet, a strong flier that migrates to Britain each spring. In autumn it feasts on windfall fruit and ivy blossom.
💡 Fun Facts
- The Red Admiral is a bold black butterfly with bright red bands and crisp white spots on its wings.
- Many arrive each spring after an astonishing journey, flying all the way from southern Europe and North Africa.
- In autumn it loves to feed on fallen, fermenting fruit and on the last nectar of ivy flowers.
📅 Through the Year
- Migration:May to June
- Active:April to October
Name Story
Vanessa atalanta
means “swift Atalanta”
likely meaningScholars aren't certain where the name Vanessa came from — it was most likely borrowed from a poem written long before, but the scientist never explained his choice.
What does its name mean?
- atalanta — Atalanta, the swift-footed huntress of Greek mythGreek myth
- Vanessa — a name borrowed by a scientist, probably from an old poema coined name
Atalanta was a huntress in Greek myth who could outrun anyone — a splendid name for the Red Admiral, one of our fastest, strongest fliers. The first part, Vanessa, is a name a scientist chose to borrow rather than a word that describes the butterfly.