Vanessa
atalanta - Red Admiral .50-60mm-A thermophilous
species which manages to hibernate only exceptionally north of the Alps.
Its home is northern Africa and southern Europe eastwards it expands to
central Asia. Year by year it migrates throughout Europe. It also occurs
in North America, The dark greyish-yellow, spiny caterpillars lead a solitary
life in spun-up nettle leaves. Towards the end of summer the newly emerged
butterflies concentrate on over-ripe fruit, especially on pears and plums
in orchards, and stay here until late autumn, The upperside of their wings
bears a showy pattern, but their intricately coloured underside merges
perfectly with the tree trunks on which they like to sit ith closed wings.
Text from: A field Guide in
Colour to Butterflies and Moths (1982) Ivo Novak. Octopus
