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 8785 verified sightings

Observation date: Aug 24, 2021
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025

Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025

Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025

Observation date: Jun 06, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025

Observation date: Mar 21, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025

Observation date: May 31, 2023
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025

Observation date: Mar 17, 2024
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025

Observation date: Sep 01, 2023
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025

Observation date: May 02, 2025
Submitted by: Funkki
Region: Marion County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 07, 2025

Observation date: Jul 04, 2023
Submitted by: Keylime Cat
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025

Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 05, 2025

Observation date: May 24, 2025
Submitted by: Chrysanthemum
Region: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 03, 2025

Observation date: Jun 04, 2025
Submitted by: melanim71
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 03, 2025

Observation date: Jul 02, 2025
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Berrien County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 03, 2025

Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 22, 2025

Observation date: May 24, 2025
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2025

Observation date: Jun 16, 2025
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2025

Observation date: Jun 14, 2025
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 15, 2025

Observation date: Jun 11, 2025
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 15, 2025

Observation date: May 31, 2025
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025

Observation date: Jun 09, 2025
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2025

Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 10, 2025

Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Hall County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jun 09, 2025

Observation date: May 27, 2025
Submitted by: gp
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 04, 2025
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