Red Admiral butterfly on Choke Cherry Blossom

The people friendly Red Admiral butterfly is back in Ontario.  I’ve seen quite a few in the garden since early April but several were out today, I guess enjoying the return to good weather as was I.  Red Admiral caterpillars feed on nettles, and while I don’t have any in my garden I know they are natural to our area.  At this time of year the adults find nectar on any flower they can find, and in my garden today it was from the blossoms of my native Choke Cherry. They will lay eggs on the nettle; these will hatch and mature into a second generation of adults later this spring. In Ontario, there may be two or three generations per year for us to enjoy, with little damage to the garden.