Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Short projections on both wings, borders irregular. Upperside is purple-black with a wide, bright yellow border on outer margins, and a row of iridescent blue spots at the inner edge of the border.
Wing Span: 2 1/4 - 4 inches (5.7 - 10.1 cm).
Life History: Overwintered adults mate in the spring, the males perching in sunny openings during the afternoon to wait for receptive females. Eggs are laid in groups circling twigs of the host plant. Caterpillars live in a communal web and feed together on young leaves, then pupate and emerge as adults in June or July. After feeding briefly, the adults estivate until fall, when they re-emerge to feed and store energy for hibernation. Some adults migrate south in the fall.
Flight: Usually one flight from June-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Willows including black willow (Salix nigra), weeping willow (S. babylonica), and silky willow (S. sericea); also American elm (Ulmus americana), cottonwood (Populus deltoides), aspen (P. tremuloides), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), and hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). Older caterpillars wander about and may be found on plants that they do not eat.
Adult Food: Mourning Cloaks prefer tree sap, especially that of oaks. They walk down the trunk to the sap and feed head downward. They will also feed on rotting fruit, and only occasionally on flower nectar.
Habitat: Because Mourning Cloaks roam and migrate, they are found almost anywhere that host plants occur including woods, openings, parks, and suburbs; and especially in riparian areas.
Range: All of North America south of the tundra to central Mexico; rarely in the Gulf States and peninsular Florida. Also native to temperate Eurasia. Comments: Adults live 10-11 months and may be our longest lived butterfly.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Occasionally may be necessary to control caterpillar damage to shade trees.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 8690 verified sightings
Observation date: May 22, 2023
Submitted by: Spunkybart
Region: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Feb 22, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Newport News, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Mar 28, 2020
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 20, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 19, 2024
Observation date: May 16, 2024
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 16, 2024
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 16, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 15, 2024
Observation date: Apr 02, 2024
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 07, 2024
Observation date: May 04, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Stillwater County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 07, 2024
Observation date: May 04, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 04, 2024
Observation date: May 02, 2024
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 02, 2024
Observation date: Apr 26, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 02, 2024
Observation date: Apr 30, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 01, 2024
Observation date: Apr 25, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: Lauenstein
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 20, 2024
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 18, 2024
Submitted by: Quentin Betencourt
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: Quentin Betencourt
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 21, 2024
Observation date: Apr 13, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Stillwater County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Apr 17, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Grundy County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 01, 2024
Submitted by: MinPinLord
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 06, 2024
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