The Red Admiral is another butterfly present every year in Eliza Howell Park that is attractive and easy to spot. When it visits flowers, it often lets watchers and  photographers get quite close.

It will nectar with the wings open as well as with wings closed. The wingspan is about 2 inches.

Their season in the park is a long one. It is not unusual to see a Red Admiral in April, and at least once, I saw one in the middle of  October. They are most common in the summer.

The Red Admiral is found in a variety of habitats, wooded as well as open. It is migratory, spending the winter in southern states.

It drinks sap from trees and takes moisture from rotten fruit in addition to nectar from flowers.

Since I do most of my butterfly watching in flower patches, I usually see Red Admirals when they are nectaring.

Visitors to Eliza Howell looking for butterflies in 2023 should not have much difficulty finding a Red Admiral, especially if they check the blooming flowers in July and August. I recommend paying special attention to Purple Coneflowers.