Red Admirals are some of the most common butterflies in North America. Vanessa atalanta is their scientific name.
Most people see these butterflies according to the presence of the stinging nettle, their host plant.
Red Admirals have a base black color with significant white, orange, or red bands, stripes, or dots.
All of these contrasting colors are tied to deep symbolism, especially when it comes to dreams.
Here’s what it means if you dream about or see a Red Admiral butterfly.
Table of Contents
1. Mystery and unanswered questions
Black is the color of mystery across the world of symbolism. Butterflies are often imagined as white or yellow as there aren’t as many black butterflies around.
Dreaming of a black butterfly is a good time to think about the answers to some of your unanswered questions about relationships, career advancement, or even health.
Red Admirals are also about elegance as black is the main color elegance is portrayed in when it comes to many cultures around the world.
It might also be a good time to learn how to behave with grace whenever you dream of a black butterfly such as the Red Admiral.
Unlike many people believe, Black Admirals don’t signal death as this is reserved for brown to black or gray to black butterflies.
Pure black butterflies such as the Red Admiral are seen as a sign of grace, especially when it comes to improving the relationship with peers.
2. A good time to stop a busy life
Red Admirals can have orange, orange-red, or even red bands across the wings. These bands are seen both on the upper wings and the hind wings.
One of the important aspects of these butterflies comes in the contrasting nature of these bright colors with the base black color of the wings.
The black color of the butterfly only stands out more with these bright spots.
However, red is the sign that you need to stop chasing a goal or a person for a moment to re-evaluate.
Red demands attention. Unlike dreaming about a purely red butterfly, dreaming about a Red Admiral butterfly is mostly about the contrasting nature of mystery and stopping to think about its impact on your life.
3. Passion and love
In the case of pure red bands along the black wings, Red Admirals can also signal love, often in the most unlikely places.
Love and mystery often come in the relationships with a person you know very little to nothing about.
You might even be on a journey to fall in love with a person you know nothing about.
The combination of red and black is seen as the color combination of passion, not only love.
Passion can also come in many other forms apart from love. Seeing these butterflies in a black and red morph can be a sign you’re about to be very passionate about a hobby or a certain goal.
In sports, black and red represent the passion and belief you follow your favorite player or team regardless of the result as the supreme form of devotion.
Seeing a Red Admiral might also mean you should put more effort into your current love life not just chase new partners.
Putting in the work to get the passion back in your relationships is also an important response in the world of symbolism and Red Admirals.
4. Youth and energy
Red Admirals are commonly seen with orange bands instead of red bands on black wings.
Orange is the symbolism of youth, energy, new vibes, new ideas, and new beginnings.
Dreaming about a Red Admiral and clearly remembering its orange markings on the wings might mean you need new energy or a fresh start in your life.
This might mean seeking out help for a work project or looking for a new start in a home renovation plan with the help of a professional.
A spirit full of energy and a youthful motivation even if reasoning says there’s no viable outcome to a goal might be further interpretations of a black and orange butterfly such as the Red Admiral.
5. Contrast and opposing views
The simple idea that a butterfly of this species has such contrasting colors is what makes it so memorable. Contrasting colors represent different views of the complete nature of male and female energy in symbolism.
You may need to think about where you need more male energy and where you need more female energy in your lives.
These types of energies can be translated into values of strength in the case of male energy and maternal qualities in the case of female energy.
6. Migration and new beginnings
The idea of new beginnings or continuing upon a journey but in a different location is also tied to migrating Red Admirals.
These butterflies are subject to one of the longest migratory processes in the world. They travel from Africa to Northern parts of Europe, including to islands such as The United Kingdom.
This long journey of Red Admirals symbolizes the belief that the desired end goal is within reach, even if the road to that goal is very long.
Red Admirals migrate to areas where they can find more stinging nettle or where they escape natural predators such as small birds.
As a result, dreaming about a Red Admiral or seeing one of these butterflies can be interpreted as the chance to start over again in a new place.
Some people achieve this by moving homes. Others achieve this by staying in the same place but meeting new people, moving to a new neighborhood, or by getting a new job.
The effort of the Red Admiral behind its migration sets an example to all of those battling poor odds or to those that believe nothing better lies ahead.
Red Admirals then survive cold winters in Europe by hibernation. This is a state of inactivity where they don’t fly anymore.
The hibernation status of these butterflies can be further interpreted as the need to simply hold on through difficult times as they all eventually pass.
This example of the Red Admiral butterfly is seen yearly as the species migrate to colder climates where it feeds and hibernates.
7. Learning how to face adversity better
This leads the symbolism of the Red Admiral to the idea of adversity and learning to cope with it.
These butterflies know they need to move to colder climates where they will remain in a hibernation state over the following months.
Yet, they still embark on a transcontinental journey for food.
As a result, you learn from the adversities this species faces for the adversities in your life.
You might think a relationship has no future when you might simply need to put in more effort to make it as good as it can be.
Adversity also comes at the job and all career moves. You might face adversity for a promotion or you might even be left back for other colleagues who get promoted.
You can face adversity in your career by doing a better job or by moving jobs and even getting the promotion you deserve in the face of adversity.
8. Territorial habits and standing your ground
A territorial nature is one of the most important characteristics of the Red Admiral. Males of this species are highly territorial.
Male Red Admirals stand their ground and chase off all other males that try to eat nectar from the flowers in their range.
This territorial nature doesn’t miss an echo from females. Almost all female Red Admirals prefer to mate with highly territorial males.
The ability of these butterflies to stand their ground is what makes females interested in the males first.
Seeing a Red Admiral is also one of the signs you need to be more territorial or just in your life.
You may need to stand your ground at work or home. Being territorial also applies to your extended family you might need to protect better as a man.
Dreaming about a Red Admiral might also mean you need to stand your ground in the face of adversity to defend your rights, belongings, or those around you.
You might need to stand your ground when those around you face adversity and when they cannot properly defend themselves as well.
Summary
Red Admirals are contrasting territorial butterflies. These butterflies also migrate over long and very long distances.
All of these traits and the colors of their wings impact the symbolism of seeing a Red Admiral.
Black is dominant and it represents mystery and the idea you’re about to face mystery in your life.
Either red or orange is the following major color of these butterflies. These colors represent passion, love, and energy. These colors are considerably larger than the small white spots on the wings of the species.
A major symbolism of seeing Red Admirals also involves the idea of new beginnings through their migratory nature. Red Admirals fight for what they believe is theirs through a territorial nature. This can be interpreted as the need to fight for your rights in your life.