Vanessa atalanta One of our most popular butterflies this familiar and distinctive insect may be found anywhere in Britain and Ireland and in all habitat types. Starting each spring and continuing through the summer there are northward migrations, which are variable in extent and timing, from North Africa and continental Europe. The immigrant females lay eggs and consequently there is an emergence of fresh butterflies, from about July onwards. They continue flying into October or November and are typically seen nectaring on garden buddleias or flowering Ivy and on rotting fruit. There is an indication that numbers of Red Admirals have increased in recent years, due to the milder weather and that overwintering has occurred in the far south of England.