Black butterfly with red stripes?

naturegirl · #1 (**permalink**) 21-09-2011, 12:28 AM

My manager said that last night in Ashford Kent he saw a large (both cupped hand sized) black butterfly which had two red stripes and a white dot on each wing on his outside shed wall. I can only think that this was a tropical that had escaped? I do not know of any English butterfly that would fit this description, can you??
Naturegirl

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 21-09-2011, 04:14 AM

Maybe a Red Admiral which is mainly black, has the 2 red stripes + some wqhite on the wing. Obviously not as large as he suggested but people often get sizes mixed up.

If not an escapee, but I suspect the Red Admiral most likely.

faz · #3 (**permalink**) 21-09-2011, 06:47 AM

cinnabar moth or Red Admiral would be my guess

naturegirl · #4 (**permalink**) 22-09-2011, 11:58 PM

Thanks guys
I did wonder about the Cinnabar and think his hand measurement may be somewhat exagerated...........he bats for the other team/gone to the dark side....................

Naturegirl