Page 282 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Nymphalidae
DISTRIBUTION North America, Europe, and much of Asia
HABITAT Many habitats, including parks, gardens, woodlands, meadows,
orchards, and riparian areas
HOST PLANTS Nettle (Urtica spp.), pellitory (Parietaria spp.), and
hop (Humulus spp.)
NOTE Variably colored, nettle-feeding, spiny caterpillar
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but common

ADULT WINGSPAN
2–2⅛ in (50–55 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
1 ⁄ –1⅜ in (30–35 mm)

VANESSA ATALANTA
RED ADMIRAL
280
(LINNAEUS, 1758)

Red Admiral caterpillars hatch from eggs laid singly on the
underside of nettle leaves, typically on a leaf vein. Early instars
rasp leaf surfaces with their mandibles, creating holes, and
produce small amounts of silk to cover themselves, forming
loosely silked nests. Later instars form shelters by folding a leaf
over or silking a group of leaves together. Feeding occurs inside
or outside nests at any time of day or night. Defense is based
mainly on concealment within nests, but the caterpillars also
Actual size
possess a ventral gland near the head that likely secretes chemicals
to deter predators.

The caterpillars go through ve instars and pupate about three

weeks after hatching, usually on the host plant. The Red Admiral
adult, a familiar sight in home gardens, is one of the northern

hemisphere’s best known and most charismatic butter ies. If the
garden also has a nettle patch, then Red Admiral caterpillars are
likely to be found there.

The Red Admiral caterpillar is black,
peppered with white dots and short,
white setae. The spines (black or pale)
are prominent, as are the creamy white
subspiracular dashes. The prolegs are
brown, and the head is black with white
dots and short, pale setae. Caterpillars
vary considerably in ground color from
black to gray to brown to white.