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Mourning Cloak, The First Butterfly of Spring

Photo by Tom Hodgson. Mourning Cloak butterfly.
Photo by Tom Hodgson. Mourning Cloak butterfly.

(Chelsea Update would like to thank Tom Hodgson and the Waterloo Natural History Association for the information and photo in this column.)

For those of us who are anxiously waiting for any sign of spring, this early butterfly may be the answer. The mourning cloak can even be seen flying about on warmish, sunny days in March when snow still covers the ground.

How do they get such an early start? They hibernate as adults in hollow trees, wood piles and out-buildings. This allows them to take advantage of the earliest spring warm spells. What can they find to eat, as they are often seen well before the first spring blooms? They feed on sap bleeding from wind-damaged trees and branches. In fact, mourning cloaks rarely visit flowers and prefer tree sap, rotten fruit, and even animal droppings.

The mourning cloak was so named because its colors resembled the dark cape sometimes worn by those in mourning for lost loved ones. In early spring, the males will rest on brown leaves on the forest floor waiting for a female to approach. Mating occurs soon there-after, but egg-laying does not begin until larval food plants start to leaf-out.

Mourning cloaks are often seen by folks hiking in local woods in search of early spring wildflowers. Although quite common, they are seldom seen in large numbers. These butterflies complete their life cycle in the spring, with the new adults emerging in early summer. These newly emerged adults are largely inactive during the summer months and seldom seen at that time.

In the fall their activity increases once again as they search for food and store fat for their winter hibernation. They may still be active during warm days in November. December, January and February finds them deep in hibernation once again. So here is another reason to visit local wildflower woods.

Don’t forget to pick up the free guide to the best local wildflower areas available at the Discovery Center.

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1 thought on “Mourning Cloak, The First Butterfly of Spring”

  1. It’s always a treat to read these small natural history lessons,I’ve lived in the recreation area for more than 40 years and there’s always more to learn. Thank you!

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