Tim writes: It is a myth that the name Red Admiral is a corruption of Red Admirable. The earliest recorded use of Red Admiral was posthumously by Thomas Moffet in 1634 (Moffat died in 1604 so the name must have been in use by the early seventeenth century). The name Admirable was first used by Benjamin Wilkes (1747-9), then Moses Harris (1775), both more than a century after Admiral.
The scientific name Vanessa atalanta sounds like it is steeped in classical mythology, but this is only partly true. Atalanta was the beautiful and swift huntress who challenged suitors to a race and killed them if they lost. She was eventually beaten by Milanion who threw golden apples in front of her during the race and Atalanta could not resist stopping to gather them. The name Vanessa was given by Fabricius in 1807 after a title character in Jonathan Swift’s poem; Cadenus and Vanessa. Nothing to do with classical mythology. This was an autobiographical poem about Esther Vanhomrigh’s love for Swift. Esther is Vanessa and Cadenus is Swift.
I photographed this one nectaring on Field Scabious in the Peak District.
Taken with Nikon D500 and Nikkor 300mm f4 lens with a 1.4x converter at f9 ISO 1250 1/1250s
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