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northerner_on

Can anyone ID this butterfly?

northerner_on
11 years ago

Hello everyone: I live in Ontario and we have had a very unusual spring: it has been very warm early, with freezing days in between and the usual flowering patterns are bit off but for the past week I have been seeing lots of these butterflies and I think it is a Red Admiral. Can anyone verify or correct me?

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There is not much in my backyard in flower now save a few Japanese Spurge and a few daffodils. They seem very friendly: yesterday one or two lighted on my jacket as I was weeding. This afternoon, they seemed to have migrated to a large norway maple which is now in bloom. Could the nectar from this tree have attracted them? My neighbours are calling them Monarchs and I am pretty sure they are not.

Comments (6)

  • mbhoneybee63
    11 years ago

    Looks like you have a Red Admiral there.

  • larry_gene
    11 years ago

    The general tendency is for people to call any showy butterfly a Monarch because that is the one butterfly name they know, plus it just sounds cool.

    The Red Admiral is very common across much of the entire northern hemisphere.

    One does not think of maple trees as having nectar from its blossoms (maple nectar being another term for the sap that is made into syrup). If the maple is injured and sap is oozing out, that may attract the butterflies. Otherwise, they are just using the tree to bask in the sun, or to keep an eye out for other admirals.

    And they are not befriending you so much--they are looking to feed on your clothes. The one you have pictured may be trying to get minerals out of the dirt.

  • northerner_on
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you both for the confirmation. These butterflies are not very common in this part of Ontario. I have seen only one on our property before, and I have it pictured on a coreopsis flower in the early fall. Thanks for the details, Larry. It is quite possible that the maple could be oozing. We had it severley trimmed in the fall and the arborist identified lots of damage to the tree. We will probably have to take it down in another year or two. It's just surprising that we have so many of these butterflies so suddenly and so early. Yesterday I saw the first cabbage white, and they are usually the first to appear here. I will have to do some more searching around the area to see if others have them in their gardens. It will be interesting to do a little more reseach on them to see what they are after. Thanks again.

  • bandjzmom
    11 years ago

    Beautiful Red Admiral! Congrats! They prefer to feed on tree sap,rotting fermenting fruit,and bird droppings. They will nectar at flowers only when these other favs are not available.You might put out a pie plate with some fruit for them. The more rotten it gets, the more they love it. Try bananas smashed up with some plums, cherries,or grapes. Can pour a little bit of beer and molasses over it too. Keep the fruit moist with a bit of added water when needed. Have fun!~~Angie

    Hey, I found this article about a current Red Admiral irruption in your area.
    http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1165510--southern-ontario-sees-irruption-of-red-admiral-butterflies

  • larry_gene
    11 years ago

    There you go--from uncommon to common, at least for this year. I have only seen one admiral on my property in 21 years, but they can be commonly seen within 5 miles of here. Unlike the cabbage white, the red admirals here tend to stick to more natural areas, rather than developed city neighborhoods. Your irruption will spill some individuals into unfamiliar territory.

  • northerner_on
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Bandjzmom, I found that article yesterdy while looking for informtion on the Red Admiral. In adition, in my local newspaper yesterday, this uncommon phenomenon was reported as hitting our area. Apparently, it is occuring all long the eastern seaboard as they make their way north. The University of Ottawa biologists mentioned that they were primarily feeding on maple nectar because that was readily available here as opposed to the preferred nettle. They attributed it to the uncommonly warm weather we have been having recently, but I wonder what will happen to them in the next few days when we have snow and temperatures will drop below freezing. It could be very sad.

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