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 127 verified sightings
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Onondaga County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Saratoga County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Herkimer County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Queens County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Ulster County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Cattaraugus County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: Aug 11, 2007
Submitted by: Jo Roy (Jo A. Roy)
Region: Livingston County, New York, United States
Verified by: Jo Roy (Jo A. Roy)
Verified date: Aug 30, 2007
Observation date: Nov 11, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Seth Hillinger)
Region: New York County, New York, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness (HDMcGuinness)
Verified date: Jul 24, 2009
Observation date: Nov 13, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Rachel J Bernstein)
Region: New York County, New York, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness (HDMcGuinness)
Verified date: Jul 24, 2009
Observation date: Mar 18, 2011
Submitted by: Jo Roy (Robert Dirig)
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: Jo Roy
Verified date: Mar 22, 2011
Observation date: Mar 17, 2011
Submitted by: Jo Roy (Jim D'Angelo)
Region: Cayuga County, New York, United States
Verified by: Jo Roy
Verified date: Mar 22, 2011
Observation date: Apr 03, 2011
Submitted by: Jo Roy (Ernest Williams)
Region: Oneida County, New York, United States
Verified by: Jo Roy
Verified date: Apr 05, 2011
Observation date: Aug 01, 2011
Submitted by: prowe1243
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: Jo Roy
Verified date: Aug 08, 2011
Observation date: Sep 13, 2011
Submitted by: Bernie G
Region: Queens County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Oct 26, 2011
Observation date: Mar 22, 2012
Submitted by: Johannes Jansen
Region: Jefferson County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 10, 2012
Observation date: May 04, 2012
Submitted by: mom2krb
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 07, 2012
Observation date: Apr 08, 2012
Submitted by: wayne13114
Region: Herkimer County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 16, 2012
Observation date: Oct 06, 2012
Submitted by: mrcnaturally
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Oct 07, 2012
Observation date: Apr 17, 2013
Submitted by: cheebee32
Region: Jefferson County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Apr 17, 2013
Observation date: Jun 09, 2013
Submitted by: Kevin Davis
Region: Nassau County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 10, 2013
Observation date: Jun 09, 2013
Submitted by: dwaynewood58
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 10, 2013
Observation date: Sep 27, 2012
Submitted by: mom2krb
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2013
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