Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) feasting on pear

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 22 Sep 2011

There were about 10 or 15 of them feasting on the pears that had dropped from a tree in a neighbouring garden. The Red Admiral is a frequent visitor to gardens throughout the British Isles and one of our most well-known butterflies. This butterfly is unmistakable, with the velvety black wings intersected by striking red bands. This butterfly is primarily a migrant to our shores, although sightings of individuals and immature stages in the first few months of the year, especially in the south of England, mean that this butterfly is now considered resident. This resident population is considered to only be a small fraction of the population seen in the British Isles, which gets topped up every year with migrants arriving in May and June that originate in central Europe. Unfortunately, most individuals are unable to survive our winter, especially in the cooler regions of the British Isles. http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=atalanta. For a wider view of this location see > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2612582.

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