THE RED ADMIRAL 
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Painted Lady, it cannot be placed exactly in the same category 
as that insect. But as in the case of its near ally, the true 
home of V. atalanta is the southern portion of Europe, whence 
it annually migrates to Central and Northern Europe, and 
examples reach our shores in May and early June, and a 
succession of broods occurs until the cold and damp.of autumn 
sets in, which generally is fatal to this species in its various 
stages, but a certain number of butterflies enter into partial 
or complete hibernation and occasionally survive to reappear 
in the spring. But its appearance in Britain is chiefly due to 
immigration in the spring. In The Entomologist , Vol. 46, 
I published the first known authentic instances of the hiber¬ 
nation of V. atalanta in a state of nature in this country. 
Haunts and Distribution. This handsome butterfly may be 
found almost everywhere ; in fields, woods, gardens, orchards, 
lanes, highways and in towns, where I have observed it settled 
in the streets drinking at little puddles during a spell of dry 
weather. It is one of the commonest of garden butterflies 
in the seasons when it is abundant. Over-ripe and rotten 
fruit are a great attraction as food, but one of its greatest 
attractions is sap exuding from the trunks of trees, especially 
the birch, which it loves to feast upon ; it is also very fond 
of various autumnal flowers, particularly Michaelmas Daisies 
and Buddleia and many wild flowers such as Scabious, Teasels, 
Clover and Ivy bloom. 
V. atalanta usually roosts for the night amongst the foliage 
of trees ; and when settled at rest on the bark of a tree, it 
is very inconspicuous, as the general colouring and markings 
harmonise so closely with its surroundings. This butterfly has 
often been observed on the wing at night, coming to “ sugared ” 
trees, and is attracted at times to artificial light. I have also 
seen it flying about in the twilight. These nocturnal move¬ 
ments may be associated with its migratory habits in the 
same way as they apply to the habits of V. cardui. 
Here is an example of the excessive abundance of V, atalanta 
in certain years, such as occurred in 1924. On an elevated 
Sussex Down on October 4th of that year, the ground, 
extending for a distance of half a mile or more, was carpeted 
with the purple bloom of Devil's Bit Scabious. Over the whole 
stretch of this beautiful wild garden of flowers these splendid 
