HOW TO KNOW THE BUTTERFLIES 



range, following the cosmopolitan thistle wherever 

 it flaunts its sign. 



The Red Admiral 

 Vanessa atalanta (Va-nes'sa at-a-lan'ta) 



Plate XXVI, Fig. i, 2 



The wings are purplish black above. On the fore wing 

 there is a bright orange-colored band beginning near the 

 middle of the costa, and extending nearly to the anal angle ; 

 between this and the apex of the wing are several white spots ; 

 on the hind wing there is an orange band on the outer margin 

 enclosing a row of black spots. The lower surface of the 

 wings is shown on the plate. Expanse of wings two and one- 

 fourth to three inches. 



Caterpillar. — Length one and one-fourth inches ; it 

 varies much in color, being usually dull yellow mottled with 

 black, and with a yellow stripe along the side. The head has 

 no spines, but the body has both branching spines and hairs. 



Food-plants. — Nettle, hop. 



This most striking butterfly has a cultivated 

 taste and is a frequenter of sunny gardens on 

 both continents. Its blue-black wings, the front 

 ones spotted with white and with a "bias" band 

 of orange red and the hind ones margined with 

 red, make it so conspicuous that even those who 

 are acquainted with only three or four butterflies 

 know the red admiral. However, the lower side 

 of the wings is the more beautiful, the " bias " 



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