Vanessa atalanta, 24 March 2012

Vanessa atalanta, the Red admiral;
Lowndes county, Georgia (24 March 2012).

If you live in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, North Africa, or even Western Asia, there’s a decent chance you’ve seen more than a few Red admirals fluttering about over the years. This species is remarkably widespread and well-adapted to temperate climes. As caterpillars, look for them around stinging nettles. As adults, they’re a bit more out-and-about but can be drawn to overly-ripe fruit.