Definition of red admiral in US English:
red admiral
nounˌrɛd ˈædm(ə)rəlˌred ˈadm(ə)rəl
A migratory butterfly that has dark wings marked with red-orange bands and white spots.
Genus Vanessa, subfamily Nymphalinae, family Nymphalidae: several species, in particular the common and widespread V. atalanta
Example sentencesExamples
- She was lying in the dust beneath a white buddleia, staring straight ahead, sniffing at red admirals and painted ladies as they fluttered past.
- Not just the usual cabbage whites this year, but tortoiseshells, red admirals, painted ladies and peacock butterflies too.
- Beds of nettles are slashed to the ground when the caterpillars of red admiral and other butterflies are hatching for next year's generation.
- I saw fritillaries, red admirals, and a couple of kinds of skippers up there this afternoon.
- All the way we were accompanied by electric blue and emerald green damsel flies and along the banks we spotted red admirals, painted ladies, peacocks, and mere common butterflies.