BUTTERFLY - Red Admiral

The Red Admiral (Vanessa Atalanta) is a relatively large and striking butterfly in the UK and Ireland at 2 inches wide and with bold colour patterns. This one was spotted on some buddleja that we added to hedgerows to encourage wildlife. Buddleja is known as the butterfly bush as it attracts so many of the creatures when in flower. If you want to attract nutterflies to your garden it is one of the best plants. 

The Red Amiral migrates to the UK and Ireland from Europe and Africa, and we find in warmer summers it is much more abundant. In wetter, colder years, the temptation to stay in the South East of England may be too much.

It was originally known as the red admirable, due to its admirable appearance. However, over time, people appear to have misheaed this and the spelling admiral became more common - possibly because people assumed with its large, prominent appearance that it was named after a senior naval officer.