Red Admiral

Canada experienced a butterfly invasion a couple of months ago and many of the migrants were red admirals, a small fast-flying butterfly. They soon got busy laying their eggs on stinging nettles, their host plant.

I found a patch of nettles along Bronte Creek recently and collected a few caterpillars that soon turned themselves into chrysalises, edged in gold.

Yesterday a couple of red admiral butterflies emerged from their sleep, allowing me to capture these photos before they flew off to find a mate and begin the cycle once again.