02 August, 2010

Red Admirals

This has been a big year for Red Admirals around here.  The first ones I saw were very skittish and fluttered in jerks around the garden, rarely landing on anything for more than a second or two.  I was not able to get any photographs.  They seem to settle down with age and I was able to take these photos a couple of weeks ago on a walk along the Zumbro River and then also in our garden.  
They love the purple coneflowers and liatris.
Once they find a coneflower they like they will go from floret to floret like the big hand circling a clock face. I was able to get right up on the one in montage below as it made a complete circuit round the flower.  
This one was showing its age in its tattered wings and faded colors, but its appetite was undiminished!
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7 comments:

  1. Lovely photos of the Red Admirals, they seem to be identical to our species, do they lay their eggs on the Stinging Nettles ? it's the main food supply for the caterpillars over here in the British Isles

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  2. They are a lovely species Wilma. That one is probably towards the end of its time as they hibernate through the winter and look pretty rough afterwards.

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  3. Great pictures of one of my favourite butterflies. I like them because they are equally attractive with closed wings. I was really surprised that you have the same species as us!

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  4. Hi Wilma,
    What a beautiful set of composed pictures, full of colours!! Just splendid. I hope we will have one day some butterflies over here ;-)

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  5. Hi wilma, sorry I've been a bit slack in visiting your blog. Great pics of the butterflys, and I just loved the Racoon post - I was horrified to think you'd had a break in..............

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  6. These are great pictures Wilma. They are a beautiful butterfly. Like Phil, I was surprised you have the same species as us.....or we have the same as you lol

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  7. David - in North America, they lay eggs on many flowering plants. We do have plenty of stinging nettles nearby.

    Roy - it was pretty rough looking. I am just impressed that they can make it through one of our winters!

    Phil - This species is one of the most ubiquitous butterflies and is found around the entire Northern Hemisphere through Asia, Easetern and Western Europe, North America. They are real survivors.

    Chris - I guess I should add they aren't everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere!

    Tony - I appreciate your visits any time you get around to them! Glad you like the raccoon post. :-)

    Keith - thank you. I knew they looked the same and good old wikipedia came through with the details!

    cheers,
    Wilma

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