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 73 - 96 of 8697 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 22, 2023
Submitted by: williamharmonlds
Region: McKinley County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 18, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 22, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2023
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 14, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2023
Submitted by: CincyJeff
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 13, 2023
Observation date: Jun 11, 2023
Submitted by: NatashaG
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Lewis County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: bshettler
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: May 26, 2023
Submitted by: blueracer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 04, 2023
Observation date: May 23, 2023
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 31, 2023
Observation date: May 28, 2023
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Allegany County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 29, 2023
Observation date: Apr 16, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: May 26, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: May 12, 2023
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 26, 2023
Observation date: May 23, 2023
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 23, 2023
Observation date: May 14, 2023
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: May 13, 2023
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 15, 2023
Observation date: May 13, 2023
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 14, 2023
Observation date: May 04, 2023
Submitted by: Marionstephens
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 11, 2023
Observation date: May 10, 2023
Submitted by: Photognfa
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 11, 2023
Observation date: Apr 04, 2023
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 09, 2023
Observation date: May 04, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 06, 2023
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