Red admiral - vanessa atalanta

There were nine or ten peacock butterflies on the white buddleia and this solitary red admiral. They are very glamorous and the undersides of the wings are lovely.

I've learned that they are migrants, arriving in Britain in waves from North Africa and Europe. Having mated before arriving the females lay eggs in this country, mostly on nettles and the new butterflies appear in mid summer, They are beginning to overwinter in the south of England.