Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral

Natural Habitat

Found in deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, clearings, parks, and suburban areas. They prefer areas with a mix of trees for host plants and open areas for foraging.

Diet & Feeding

Adults feed on tree sap, rotting fruit, carrion, dung, and occasionally nectar from flowers. Larvae (caterpillars) feed on the leaves of host plants, including birch, willow, poplar, and wild cherry.

Behavior Patterns

Adult Red-spotted Purples are active during the day, flying with a graceful, gliding flight. Males perch on leaves to search for females. They are known for Batesian mimicry, where they mimic the unpalatable Pipevine Swallowtail to deter predators, especially in the western part of their range (where they are called Weidemeyer's Admiral). In areas where the Pipevine Swallowtail is absent, they tend to have more blue on their wings, as seen in this image, and are referred to as the Red-spotted Purple. Larvae feed on leaves of host plants and overwinter as partially grown caterpillars in a hibernaculum (a rolled leaf shelter).

Risks & Benefits

Benefits: As pollinators, they contribute to the reproduction of various plants. Their larvae are herbivores that play a role in plant dynamics, and both larvae and adults serve as a food source for birds and other insectivores, contributing to the food web. They pose no known risks to humans.

Identified on: 8/13/2025