THE RED ADMIRAL. 83 



and also on hop {Hamulus) ; but I have found that caterpillars 

 fed on hop alone always produce small butterflies. 



The caterpillars, which in a state of Nature are often badly 

 " ichneumoned," have been noted in England as early as the end 

 of June and as late as October. In the South of Europe they 

 have been seen in February. 



The butterflies seen in spring and early summer, up to, say, 

 the beginning of July, are supposed to have wintered in this 

 country, but there is no positive evidence, that I can find, that 

 the butterfly does hibernate here. It is, however, most probable 

 that they are arrivals from abroad. The species is found 

 throughout Europe and North Africa, Northern Asia, and North 

 America, and it may be suspected of migration, although there 

 is, perhaps, not such conclusive evidence on this point as in the 

 case of its cousin, the Painted Lady. 



Anyway, unless we admit immigration, it seems difficult to 

 understand why this butterfly should suddenly become common 

 in some British localities from which it has been almost or quite 

 absent for several years. Again, we rarely hear of butterflies 

 moving about at night, but the Red Admiral, as well as the 

 Painted Lady, are known to do this. If it does hibernate in 

 this country it is very late in taking up winter quarters, as it 

 is seen on the wing at the end of October, and sometimes even 

 in November ; it has also been known to emerge from the 

 chrysalis in the latter month. It does not appear in the spring 

 with other hibernating species, and is rarely seen before the 

 end of May, but June seems to be about the normal time. 



In the autumn it is fond of making excursions into the flower 

 garden and the orchard, where it takes toll from flower and fruit, 

 an over-ripe pear or plum being its special weakness. The 

 blossoms of ivy, hop, thistle, teazle, etc., are attractive, but a 

 tree-stem that has been bored by the caterpillar of the goat 

 moth will be visited by nearly every Red Admiral in the district. 

 One observer mentions that he once saw quite thirty of these 



