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 8738 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 11, 2023
Submitted by: huntybunty
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2024
Observation date: Jul 28, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2024
Submitted by: MinPinLord
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: Quentin Betencourt
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
Observation date: Apr 27, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 18, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: Ejordan9611
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2024
Observation date: Jul 08, 2024
Submitted by: NorthPeace
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2024
Observation date: May 19, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 03, 2024
Observation date: Jun 06, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 01, 2024
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 01, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: pgrew1@unl.edu
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 27, 2022
Submitted by: vogelbild
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Apr 11, 2024
Submitted by: Freyja_halla
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: Jun 02, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2024
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: billmaciejko
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 11, 2024
Observation date: May 21, 2024
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
Observation date: Jun 04, 2024
Submitted by: Butterfly King
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: May 15, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 01, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 03, 2024
Observation date: May 28, 2018
Submitted by: RaquelRobles
Region: Washington County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: BeautifulBugs
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 25, 2024
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