2015 November 3

   Geoffrey Newell sends a photograph of a Red Admiral from Cattle Point, November 2.  Although Red Admirals spend the winter in the adult state, there is a question as to whether they do so here in Victoria, or whether they migrate to warmer climes. This is therefore an interesting observation.  Until recent years it was believed that the Red Admiral did not overwinter in Britain.  Either it migrated to warmer climes, or, if it stayed in Britain, it wouldn’t survive the winter.  In recent years they have been regularly overwintering in Britain – sometimes cited (whether correctly or not!) as evidence of global warming.  It will be interesting to record any winter records of Red Admirals here (or any other butterfly species for that matter!)

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (Lep.: Nymphalidae)  Geoffrey Newell