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 25 - 48 of 8683 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 14, 2024
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Jan 30, 2024
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 11, 2024
Observation date: Apr 16, 2023
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 06, 2024
Observation date: Sep 10, 2010
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Mar 02, 2024
Observation date: Feb 29, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 02, 2024
Observation date: Jan 15, 2024
Submitted by: Azxy
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: May 28, 2023
Submitted by: Gordon Phillips
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Nov 12, 2023
Observation date: May 16, 2023
Submitted by: RaquelRobles
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 30, 2023
Observation date: Sep 03, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Stillwater County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Oct 17, 2023
Submitted by: Doug Nettleton
Region: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
Observation date: Jun 18, 2023
Submitted by: Geoff Urwin
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 23, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2023
Submitted by: heinert
Region: Burleigh County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Sep 12, 2023
Observation date: May 29, 2023
Submitted by: katherineylital...
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 05, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 22, 2023
Submitted by: pgrew1@unl.edu
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Feb 13, 2020
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Sep 20, 2017
Submitted by: Batcher
Region: Grand County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2017
Submitted by: bw
Region: Duchesne County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: mhearell
Region: Weber County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: dingoqueen
Region: Weber County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 21, 2023
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 14, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 02, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: amandajg
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2023
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