Wildlife Wednesday – The Red Admiral Butterfly

We are taking a break from snakes after the last few weeks for today’s Wildlife Wednesday from our Ohio Division of Wildlife. As we continue to spotlight Ohio Native Plant Month, we decided to spotlight the Red Admiral if you are thinking of planting a garden to attract butterflies.
This species nectars on many flowers and is attracted to mud puddles and animal scat. Most brushfooted butterflies such as the red admiral can be attracted to your backyard by baiting with rotten fruit. It is a fast and erratic flier.
HOST PLANTS: wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and Pennsylvania pellitory (Parietaria pensylvanica). While nettles aren’t a popular choice for gardeners, they are essentail for this species. Consider allowing them to grow if they are naturally found on your property.
WINGSPAN: 1.75 inches to 2.5 inches
Information courtesy of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources