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Red
Admirals are among the earliest butterfly migrants to Ontario, often
arriving in first warm days April. Every year this butterfly re colonizes
the entire province except for the far north. |
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Eggs
are laid as soon as the food plant Stinging Nettle becomes available in
the spring. Red Admirals begin breeding before several other butterfly
species which use the same plants and also cease breeding earlier. |
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The
larvae
are almost always hidden in folded leaf nests. Planting nettles at
the back of a city garden will allow Red Admirals to become regular breeding
residents, and they will return year after year.
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Chrysalises
are sometimes found in folded leaves on the food plant. Adults can emerge
in as few as 6 days during hot summer weather. In August, emerging
adults do not breed in Ontario but fly south instead. |
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