Uploaded April 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
While birding seen this Mourning Cloak Butterfly. First of the season.
The mourning cloak butterfly is a large , unique butterfly. Has special markings that do not match those of any other butterfly, making it easily distinguishable. It has a wingspan up to four inches. The dorsal side of its wings are dark maroon with ragged pale-yellow edges.
The North American common name for this butterfly is , mourning cloak , which refers to its resemblance to a traditional cloak worn when one was in mourning`.
Prefer mostly tree spa (mostly oak) or rotting fruits. They also obtain some nutrients from mud puddles and animals poop.
Adults live 10-11 months . It could be our longest living butterfly.
They have unique strategy. It survives winter as an adult butterfly, which is much different than most butterflies. Rather then migrate to warmer areas or spend winter in an egg or larvae, it stays in its adult form. It makes shelter in a hole in a tree or under some bark and waits for the winter to be over. When spring comes it emerges and has a head start over all the other butterflies for finding food and also a mate.
During the winter it enters a state of a mild hibernation.This is not a permanent rest in winter but a temporary one. On sunny warm days in the winter, you may see them fly around.In the summer they go through an aestivation phase .
They make a loud clicking noise before flying away from a place of rest.
While birding seen this Mourning Cloak Butterfly. First of the season.
The mourning cloak butterfly is a large , unique butterfly. Has special markings that do not match those of any other butterfly, making it easily distinguishable. It has a wingspan up to four inches. The dorsal side of its wings are dark maroon with ragged pale-yellow edges.
The North American common name for this butterfly is , mourning cloak , which refers to its resemblance to a traditional cloak worn when one was in mourning`.
Prefer mostly tree spa (mostly oak) or rotting fruits. They also obtain some nutrients from mud puddles and animals poop.
Adults live 10-11 months . It could be our longest living butterfly.
They have unique strategy. It survives winter as an adult butterfly, which is much different than most butterflies. Rather then migrate to warmer areas or spend winter in an egg or larvae, it stays in its adult form. It makes shelter in a hole in a tree or under some bark and waits for the winter to be over. When spring comes it emerges and has a head start over all the other butterflies for finding food and also a mate.
During the winter it enters a state of a mild hibernation.This is not a permanent rest in winter but a temporary one. On sunny warm days in the winter, you may see them fly around.In the summer they go through an aestivation phase .
They make a loud clicking noise before flying away from a place of rest.
