Red Admiral Butterfly - Vanessa atalanta
Order Lepidoptera / Suborder Macrolepidoptera / Superfamily Papilionoidea
Family Nymphalidae - admirals, anglewings, brush-footed butterflies, checker-spots, crescent-spots, fritillaries, mourningcloaks, purples
Live adult butterflies photographed in the wild at Winfield, Illinois, USA.
Red Admiral Butterfly

Red Admiral Butterfly
Red Admiral Butterfly - Vanessa atalanta
Red Admiral Butterfly
Red Admiral Butterfly, Vanessa atalanta, shown with Honeysuckle, Lonicera sp.
Butterflies have been revered by mankind since before the dawn of recorded history. They are among the most fascinating and beautiful animals; even people who care not for insects in general usually have an affection for these winged wonders. They live nearly everywhere -- from gardens and forests and mountains to acid bogs and frozen arctic tundra. Almost 700 of the world's 10 - 20,000 species live in North America north of Mexico.