Nymphalis antiopa
The Mourning Cloak is a
large butterfly, with a wingspan of up to three and a half
inches. It is easy to identify by its markings. No other
butterfly looks like this one. Mourning Cloaks are very
dark brownish-maroon with pale, cream-colored edges, which
often look ragged. They have bright blue spots along the
edges. Underneath, the Mourning Cloak's wings are
blackish-brown. If you look carefully, you can see some
green markings. This butterfly is perfectly camouflaged
when it rests on a tree trunk with its wings folded
back. Mourning Cloaks are seen
in open woods, parks, gardens, and along the edges of
streams, lakes, and ponds. Adult Mourning Cloaks
drink from some nectar
plants (like Milkweed and Red Maple), rotting fruit, tree
sap
(especially oaks), mud puddles, and even animal poop. By
visiting flowers for nectar, they help pollinate
plants. Copyright, Paolo
Mazzei Mourning Cloaks mate in
early Spring. Females lay eggs on a host
plant. A host plant is the plant that caterpillars
need to eat. Every butterfly has only certain plants it will
eat. Mourning Cloak caterpillars eat willow, American Elm,
poplar, hackberry, wild rose, and hawthorns. They are most
often seen on Black Willow. Eggs are laid in groups.
They are pale yellow at first. Then they turn red, then
black before they hatch. Once they hatch, Mourning
Cloak caterpillars immediately start to eat. Side by side,
they eat the leaves of their host plant. Mourning Cloak
caterpillars grow up to two inches long. Theyy are black
with red spots down the back and black bristles. Their legs
are dark red. When the caterpillars
have reached full size, they will make a chrysalis
(coccoon) and enter the pupa
(resting) stage. When it is ready, the adult
Mourning Cloak will come out. Bob Parks
Peter J. Bryant
E.T. Jones Mourning Cloaks are one
of the few butterflies that overwinter.
That means, instead of dying or flying South, they stay here
year-round. Mourning Cloaks do hibernate.
They will find a tree cavity,
or crawl underneath some loose bark. By overwintering,
Mourning Cloaks get a head start over other butterflies in
the Spring. Like most butterflies,
Mourning Cloaks are preyed upon by birds and other
insect-eating animals. This insect makes a loud
click before it flies away from a resting spot.
