Red Admirals! and silly questions

16 years ago

Wow! Banner day for Red Admirals here in Chicago! I counted around 30 today, all over the flowers, the side of the house, me - amazing! I know Eric in Madison encountered 200+ a few days back - but my "low" numbers are a first here. Anyone else seeing this kind of RA activity?

They also seemed to love our Linden tree in our back yard. I recall Eric saying the same thing... interesting that they love those blooms so much! don't really see other butterflies going after it.

Now, for some silly questions:

1) Does a male monarch ever magically turn into a female? I was watching 2 males around the yard, hoping to get a photo of a female ovipositing... but alas, no females. Ten minutes later there are TWO females laying eggs all over my milkweed! And no sight of the males! I'm just saying.... it was rather sneaky of the males to suddenly change gender on me! ;)

2) Are female monarchs really that dumb? I mean, the love-them-and-leave-them of the above mentioned males I can understand, but I watched today as a female oviposited on a big Joe-Pye Weed leaf. Ok, messing up one time is understandable. Joe-Pye is rather close to the milkweed. Then, however, she laid an egg on the other side of the milkweed - on the lilac bush! good grief!

3)Is this a snout? My first, whatever it is!

4)Is this Red Admiral looking battered or what? Still pretty cute, though.

Ok that's all for now.

Sandy :)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (14)

snowgardener
16 years ago
This is the first year I've seen Red Admirals here. Not as many as you but several on my scabiosa which they obviously prefer in my garden. But while hiking in the Adirondacks I observed a never ending parade of White Admirals. There were thousands.
aggscott
16 years ago
I just have to say too that last year I saw one Red Admiral-this year actually these past three days I have seen four outside at one time on my Butterfly Bush! Now that is amazing..

Aggie
Related Discussions
Red admiral?
Q
Comments (11)
I don't know if this is diagnostic, but when I look closely at the pictures of question mark caterpillars, the little bristles always have multiple prongs. The red admirals have a simpler spike. When I went out this morning, one of the caterpillars had migrated underneath the paper towel at the bottom of the cage. Do you think he is getting ready to pupate? He and his brother had pretty much eaten the entire stalk of nettle, so I worried he was out of food. I put in a fresh stem for the remaining caterpillar. That tortoiseshell is a really pretty butterfly! Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to occur in New Jersey, so I think we can rule that one out.
...See More
Red admiral dead-end?
Q
Comments (1)
Hey Liz, They move north in the spring and have as many Generations as possible. Then the last Generation depending on what they want to do may migrate south. Some do and some don't. they are not like common buckeyes that come and stay and die.
...See More
Summer Red Admiral Caterpillar
Q
Comments (12)
Cat Girl - thanks, they're both eating false nettles, the only thing I've ever raised RAs on. I think it would be better to keep your pupae out of the refrigerator. Outside is best. Dee - I live in southeastern Mississippi, the part that historically was a part of old west Florida, when Florida was just the existing northern part, no peninsula. We have the same weather conditions as north Florida. I haven't seen any adult buckeyes lately, but they must have been here, because I found a caterpillar nearly ready to pupate a few days ago, brought it in to finish up, and it has made its chrysalis. Congrats on seeing the zebra swallowtail! I can only hope to see one, have only seen them a few times here. I've never grown coneflowers from seed, but I'm collecting seed to sow along my roadside, hoping some will come up on their own with no effort on my part! :) Sherry
...See More
Pennsylvania Pellitory - host plant for Red Admiral
Q
Comments (8)
I did not manage to collect any seeds from the little pellitory plant I grew last year, but I recently picked a new plant out of a sidewalk crack in the same vicinity where I found the plant growing last summer. I got it to root and have it in a pot outdoors, but it looks a little scrawny yet. Wondering how best to raise a plant that naturally likes to grow in pavement and wall cracks!
...See More
MissSherry
16 years ago
I've never seen a snout myself, but the first picture sure looks like the pictures in my field guides - congrats!
The female monarchs were probably there, just hanging out in a tree or your neighbor's yard - sounds like you've got a good number of monarchs!
I've seen question marks lay eggs on the fence that supports the hops vines, the aristolochia tomentosa vine next to the hops, also nearby passionvines and turk's cap! Monarchs may not have perfect aim, but it's better than a lot of QMs aims! :)
MissSherry
sandwhy
Original Author
16 years ago
Hmm MissSherry, so should I be looking for eggs on the chain link fence and the neighbor's arborvitae instead of the hops vine? ;) I keep seeing single QMs around... still hoping for eggs!

The RAs continue, but in lesser numbers. The monarchs were back again today, two of them at least. I've been lucky with them this year - nice steady stream of adults! :)

Sandy
cecropia
16 years ago
I'm seeing lots of RA's here in Ohio.They are by far the most common butterflies this summer.
Fledgeling_
16 years ago
Red Admirals had a bumper year here too. There are dozens to be found on any 10 foot patch of flowers.
biophilia
16 years ago
Sandy, what host plant do you have for the Red Admirals? I have only a small patch of False Nettle, and have never seen anything use it except for Question Marks. I need to expand my patch!
emmayct
16 years ago
Lots of red admirals here in CT too.

Wonder why it's such a bumper crop this year?

Maryann
sandwhy
Original Author
16 years ago
Carol, I don't think I have ANY host plant for the Red Admirals....? They eat only nettle right? Unless some unsuspecting neighbor has something! ;)

To add to the silliness of this post, I had a dream last night that hundreds of monarchs were roosting in a huge pine tree (which doesn't exsist) in our yard.

Got bugs on the brain I think! LOL!

Sandy

Sandy
tracey_nj6
16 years ago
I was working out in the garden on Saturday and was visited by a Red Admiral (finally; something besides a cabbage white!!!). Talk about a social butterfly! It followed me around everywhere I went, and when I went in the house, it landed on my window. Maybe it was a combination of the red tank top and the sweat, lol. When I came back out, it followed me around some more. Wherever I worked, it found something to nectar on. I believe it was truly happy when I sat on the stair of the deck; simply couldn't get enough of the potted urn of lantana at the bottom of the stairs. It made my day!
MissSherry
16 years ago
That's funny, Tracey, the same thing happened between me and a RA last year - everywhere I went, here came the RA! It landed on me repeatedly - I thought maybe it was my sweat, too!
MissSherry
gwynne2006
16 years ago
I saw a red admiral the last two times I went to one of the nurseries I stop at on my lunch break. This evening, I saw two in another nursery.

My book says they are very social and, um, no offense to anyone, but they crave salt found in sweat, and will often land on people. Not that I am calling you guys sweaty or anything, for a moment I thought one was going to land on me!
tracey_nj6
16 years ago
Hahaha; now I don't mind being sweaty!
How does one tell if it's a male or female?
Here's a pic of my "friend":
{{gwi:495888}}
{{gwi:495890}}
emmayct
16 years ago
Gorgeous Tracy! We've had reports of a large northward migration here in CT. A guy reported that he was out on a fishing boat in LI Sound and counted over 60 red admirals flying through.

I wonder if he got any fishing done, or was just content to track the butterflies.

Maryann