Sometimes nature doesn't think of the best place to drop in for an impromptu snap. This is the first Red Admiral that I have seen in the garden and obviously it wasn't thinking of me when it decided to bask on the frame of an open window rather than frame itself against some natural kind of background. It was however rather obliging by letting me come nose to 'nose' with it before slitting off over the fence.
The Red Admiral is a frequent visitor to gardens all over the British Isles and is one of the most well-known butterflies as a result. It is unmistakable, with striking red bands which contrast with the velvety-black wings.
The Red Admiral was always known to migrate to the United Kingdom from the continent, but the sighting of individuals and immature stages in the first few months of the year, especially in the south of England, mean that this butterfly is now considered resident. However most individuals are unable to survive the UK winter, especially in the cooler regions. It has been observed that the Red Admiral has a tendency to migrate south in late summer, possibly due to the diminishing day length. The resident population is considered to only be a small fraction of the population seen in the British Isles, as it gets topped up every year with migrants arriving in May and June that originate in central Europe.
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