The Mourning Cloak butterfly is normally seen throughout the United States and most of Canada. When the wings are open, both the male and the female show a dark maroon, or sometimes brown, hue with roughly-defined edges that are pale yellow. There is a demarcation in black between the maroon and the yellow parts of the wings that are spotted with bright, iridescent blue spots.

 

“Mourning Cloak” by Tom Benson, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Mourning Cloak Facts

Butterfly Family: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Nymphalinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 2 1/4 – 4 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Because Mourning Cloaks roam and migrate, they are found almost anywhere that host plants occur including woods, openings, parks, and suburbs; especially in riparian areas.

 

Mourning Cloak Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants:

• Willows
• American Elm
• Birch
• Cottonwood
• Hackberry

Nectar Plants:

• Tree Sap