Red Admiral Butterfly | 05 May 2025

Source: TH 

The Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) has been sighted for the first time in India’s Dhauladhar mountain range in Himachal Pradesh. 

• Size and Family: The Red Admiral butterfly belongs to the Nymphalidae family and has a wing span ranging from 67-72mm (male to female). 
  • Morphologically, the Red Admiral resembles the Indian Red Admiral (Vanessa indica) but can be distinguished by its narrower, deeper crimson discal band and the consistent presence of a diagnostic spot in the upper forewing (a feature absent in the Indian species). 
• Global Distribution: The Red Admiral butterfly is found in North and South America, Europe, and Asia (no confirmed records from China, Mongolia, or Afghanistan). 
• Habitat: Common in urban and disturbed landscapes, but also found in moist forested areas, and wetlands, where it requires water, minerals, and sugars to survive. 
• Behavior: Male Red Admirals are highly territorial and often chase rivals from their roosting spots. 
  • Its larvae feed on stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), found abundantly in the Western Himalayas. 
• Climate Adaptation: The species is resilient to climate change due to its diverse host plants, primarily from the nettle family (Urticaceae), but may face challenges from habitat loss and environmental changes affecting plant populations.