University of Alberta Museums Search

The upperside wing pattern, with bold red bands and white apical spots on a black background, is unique and unlike any other Alberta species. The North American populations are slightly different in appearance from the European ones, and are generally referred to as subspecies rubria. The common name is somewhat misleading, since this is not an Admiral (genus Limentitis) at all; for this reason, some authors have reverted to an older name, the Red Admirable (Pyle 2002).

The light-green eggs are barrel-shaped and have nine vertical ribs. The mature larva are variable in colour, ranging from cream to grey, brown or black with fine white spots and a lateral stripe of greenish-yellow patches (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Larvae bear bear long branching spines that are generally black (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Larvae form a tent-like feeding shelter by tying together the edges of the leaf on which they are feeding (Guppy & Shepard 2001). It is unclear whether or not the Red Admiral survives the Alberta winter; the summer broods (mid-June onwards) are apparently the offspring of spring migrants. Remarkably, the Red Admiral is able to complete at least two broods in southern Canada after the arrival of spring migrants (Guppy & Shepard 2001, Layberry et al. 1998), with peak emergences in mid to late June and again in August.

The larvae feed on nettles (Urtica spp.) (Scott 1986), and can be found on stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) in Alberta. Adults are attracted to rotting fruit and dung, but also flower nectar (Bird et al. 1995, Guppy & Shepard 2001).