About Vanessa vulcania Godart, 1819
Vanessa vulcania, commonly known as the Canary red admiral, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae. It can be found on the Canary Islands, with the exception of Lanzarote, as well as on Madeira. Previously, this taxon was classified as a subspecies of Vanessa indica, but research conducted by Leestmans in 1992 reclassified it as a full species. The wingspan of Vanessa vulcania ranges from 54 to 60 mm. Compared to Vanessa indica, Vanessa vulcania is darker in overall color; its forewing band is a lighter red and strongly sinuate, and it has particularly large spots in the narrow marginal band of the hindwing. Additionally, the apex of its forewing is more angulate than that of Vanessa atalanta. Vanessa occidentalis Fldr. is a smaller, darker form of this species that originates from Madeira, and single specimens of this form have also been recorded in Portugal. The larvae of Vanessa vulcania feed on Urtica morifolia and Urtica urens.
