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Red Admiral - Favourite Photo of 2015

Week 14

I would think that almost all of the 'non-retired' are now back at work so here continues the sequence of posts giving one and all the opportunity to showcase their favourite shots of 2015 and cheer ourselves up in the drear that is January!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As like last year details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I only took a few photos of this species during 2015 but, in this one, I like the contrast between the vivid red 'warning panel' on the forewing and the cryptic markings on the hindwing, which hopefully protect it from predators during hibernation.
Mike

I took loads of photos of the RA last year mostly in September when my garden never seemed to be without them through Sept/Oct but funnily enough the two I like the best were taken out of my garden

One was taken in my Neighbours front garden on her Rose, it started out in my garden and just has I was about to take a shot flew into my Neighbours, so of course I give chase, this was 29th September. I like this one because it's unusual to see a Butterfly of any description on a Rose.

The other one I took in the Sand Dunes at Southport on the 7th Sept, I like the contrast in colours the Butterfly has with the yellow flowers Goldie

Goldie M wrote: I like this one because it's unusual to see a Butterfly of any description on a Rose.

I expect that Red Admiral was very disappointed! The problem with all those 'showy' hybrids and doubles is that they have no nectar, or the flowers are so complex that butterflies can't find their way in. So, plant banks of simple flowers to attract butterflies into the garden

Mike

I think my fav picture was this late season one. Although not the best picture in the world but it is the one with the extra blue spots which I decided to christen ab. buggeri

Red Admirals are such a constant presence throughout the season for me - meaning in some years February to November - that picking just one or two favourites isn't easy. However, the individual that wouldn't leave me alone on the evening of 12th June is the one I remember best. The other memorable photo was an underside of a brand new individual rescued from the council strimmer as a caterpillar, with its exquisite patterns and colours given a boost by use of flash (25th September) Dave

Surprisingly, I took precious few images of this species in 2015 (I usually find them irresistible). This shot is pretty poor, but it has symbolic value - it's the last image of a butterfly I took.....on 1st November at Bracelet Bay, Mumbles Head, Swansea:

This is a snapshot taken from mobile phone video footage of a "wild" Red Admiral at Bookham Common in Surrey in 2015.
This "selfie" tries to express some of the pleasure these butterflies can bring on a summers day or evening.
If there is too much of me in this picture, one can always study the picture quality ! Cheers,

Philip

Here is a Red Admiral from January 5th last year, from Vitrolles in the South of France.
The length of the shadow is bit of a give-away for the time of year. Cheers, Chris

I have yet to see a Red Admiral early in the year around my patch which leads me to believe that they are still not managing to overwinter around here. My first sightings are usually sometime in June and in 2015 occurred during my week down in Cornwall when I saw increasing numbers through the week along with Painted Ladies and Large Whites. Thereafter they showed up at most places I went to during the season including some in the garden where the shots below were taken.
Cheers,

Neil

Red Admiral

This was taken on my seaside trip early in the girls summer holiday. It is my fave as despite seeing several around the same Buddleia this is one of only a handful of shots that I took of a Red Admiral. I was too busy being distracted by Painted Lady, a mating pair of Hedge Browns, the antics of the Graylings and a White Admiral to be fair. When looking at the shot later I noticed a bit more blue in the second hind wing margin spot, something I’ve not noticed before so I’ll have to go back and look through my other shot to see if its present on any others. Have a goodun

Wurzel

This winter I have been monitoring a Red Admiral larva which emerged from an egg laid on 9th October. It continues to develop very slowly in the cool conditions and has had some protection from sub-zero temperatures.
As of today (20th February 2016) it is in its late third instar.

Vince