Red Admiral

The Red Admiral picked me today flying around totally distracting me from my sudoku.

Vanessa Atalanta is a stunning visitor to the garden probably liking it here because they feed on the buddleia, ivy and brambles which are in abundance round and about. Windfall apples and any rotting fruit would give it a treat! Nettles too are in great supply and the caterpillar, bristly and dark with a pale yellow stripe down the side , feeds on these, spinning a nest around itself by fastening a leaf doubled over with silk to give it protection.

They are a strong migrant, can fly at night and in sub zero temperatures apparently; I discovered after a bit of googling!

Staggering how different they are resting with their wings closed - gone are the velvety vivid red, black and white markings! The undersides have excellent camouflage being fairly dark and mottled in total contrast to the vibrant open wings but up close it's apparent they have subtle colours and patterns - understated but still with a beauty of their own!