09/07/2026
Red Admiral Butterfly (Vanessa Atalanta)
I photographed this little butterfly in Cape May Point State Park in New Jersey. There were many different species of butterflies all over the park. They all were zipping around so fast that I was lucky to capture a shot of any of them.
You can find the Red Admiral across the temperate areas of the U.S, North Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. You would be able to find them in most woodlands as well as, marshy bog-like areas. These butterflies need water, minerals, and sugars to survive making wetlands with forests nearby the perfect home.
Admiral butterflies are extremely territorial and can be seen chasing others off of roosting areas. Females will only mate with males that hold territory and are more likely to choose males with exceptional flight ability.
Admirals use all species of nettle plant as their host plant this includes 50-plus plants in that genus. Their caterpillars most commonly use the stinging nettle as well as the false nettle. Adult butterflies are known to drink the nectar from flowering plants like Buddleja, black-eyed Susan, coneflowers, or overripe fruit. You may even see them drinking from tree sap, muddy puddles, or even dung. This is called “wicking.”
