BUTTERFLIES OF MONTANA. 



99 



Genus VANESSA. 

 Key to Species. 



1. Ci-ound color black, band on fore wings and outer margin of hind 



wings fulvous atalanta 



Ground color fulvous. 2. 



2. Five eyespots on underside of hind wings cardui. 



Four distinct eyespots on hind wings; black bar across middle of 

 the cell of the primaries; tawnier ground color than cardui 



caryae 

 Hind wings with two large ocelli underneath huntera 



THE RED ADMIRAL. Vanessa atalanta, Linnaeus. Fig. 78. 



Fig. 78. Vanessa atalanta. 



Butterfly — This butterfly is brown above, with a fulvous band on 

 the outer margin of the hind wings, containing brown spots. The fore 

 wings are also crossed by a fulvous band, which begins at the posterior 

 angle and passes through the cell. There is a white bar beyond the 

 cell, also a marginal row of about five spots, the fourth from the costa 

 being the largest. The spots of the upperside reappear on the underside, 

 but the brown is marbled with gray, blue and green and there is a sub- 

 marginal row of spots on the hind wings. Expanse 2.00 to 2:25 inches, 

 51 to 57 mm. 



Early Stages — The eggs are green, barrel shaped. The young larva 

 is greenish brown, and furnished with ten rows of black curved hairs. 

 In reaching maturity it passes four moults. The mature larva is 1.3 in. 

 long, cylindrical enlarged in the middle and of a veli^et black color, 

 sprinkled with fine velvet points. The chrysalis is from .85 to .95 of an 

 inch long, cylindrical. The dorsal tubercles are gilded. The color is 

 usually gray. The food plants are nettle and hop. 



Distribution — It is found in the United States generally. During the 

 summer of 1903 it was taken sparingly at the Biological Station at Flat- 

 head Lake. It has not been seen at Missoula. It is not in the collec- 

 tions of Wiley, Cooley or Brandegee, and must be very rare in the state. 

 It is reported by Dyar from the Kootenai country. 



