About Vanessa itea (Fabricius, 1775)
The yellow admiral, Vanessa itea, is a medium-sized butterfly. Its wingspan is variable, measuring 48 to 50 mm in Tasmania and 48 to 55 mm in New Zealand. On the upper side of its forewings, the outer sections are dark brown to black, marked with three small white patches and a wide, bright yellow bar, while the area closer to the body is dull red. Its hindwings are dull red with a black border, and have a row of black circular markings with light blue centers near the edge. The underside of the wings looks very different: the hindwing is made up of various shades of brown with cryptic, irregular markings, and the underside of the forewing has a blue eyespot on a black background, highlighted by yellow areas both above and below the spot. Yellow admirals are relatively common across their entire range wherever their food plants grow. They prefer open country, wastelands, and gardens that contain their food plants, the stinging nettles Urtica incisa and Urtica urens. They can be found at elevations up to 1000 m above sea level. Adult yellow admirals are also attracted to butterfly bush (Buddleja sp.). This species is a strong, fast flier, and it is thought to travel wind-blown across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand.
