Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

Originally called the "red admirable" — a name that suits it perfectly. This butterfly is famously unbothered by humans, frequently landing on people and using them as convenient perches, a quirk that has delighted naturalists for centuries. The caterpillar has bold taste too, feeding on stinging nettles and stitching leaves together to build a silk shelter. Adults are highly territorial, and males with the strongest, most agile flight win the best territories and attract the most mates — essentially settling courtship through aerial acrobatics.

A long-distance migrant, it travels north each spring across Europe and North America, fueling up on overripe fruit and flower nectar along the way. Few butterflies combine beauty, personality, and wanderlust so effortlessly.