Nature always reminds us of how fiercely beautiful it is by showing us amazing works of art that only animals can make.
Also, its one-of-a-kind works of art are meant to be left alone so as not to mess up the careful process of nature’s creations…
The Mourning Cloak butterfly is not sad, as its name suggests. Instead, it is happy that it is one of the butterfly species in North America that lives the longest.
These flying creatures usually live for one year. Their name comes from their velvety dark wings, which look like the cloaks that people wear when they are sad.
A row of iridescent blue spots on the inside edge of the wing adds a splash of color. A bright yellow band around the outside edge completes the look.
When their wings are folded, they look like a burned piece of bark. On the bottom of their wings, there is a dull white band.
They are flying bugs that are in the same family as brush-footed butterflies (Nymphalidae). These butterflies have very short first legs that look like brushes, which is how they got their name.
Mourning Cloaks don’t have a pallet for flower nectar like their cousins do. They would rather eat sap, fruit, or the sweet stuff that bugs leave behind.
The power of biochemistry
As adults, these butterflies spend the winter in warm places like tree hollows, buildings, and other safe spots.
Butterflies have a biological superpower that lets them survive in temperatures as low as 80 degrees below zero. This superpower is a natural antifreeze made mostly of glycerol, a type of sugar.
And when it’s very hot, they hibernate until fall, when they come out to feed again and put on fat to get ready for winter.
A group of eggs
This butterfly is often one of the first you will see in the spring, even before the flowers have opened.
The busy animals are out looking for mates. After mating, they use trees or leaves as a backdrop to make beautiful designs out of eggs that look like berries.
And seeing Mourning Cloak butterfly eggs is something you’ll never forget.
The group of tiny geometric shapes is very well designed, and just before they hatch, the eggs change color from yellow to black, making the bunch look like something from another world.
A lot of caterpillars show up to play.
The Mourning Cloak caterpillar looks different from many other butterfly species. They are mostly black or dark brown, and their bodies are covered with tiny spines. Along their sides, they often have small white or yellow spots. Some may also have reddish-orange spots near their heads and tails.
Because they are voracious eaters, these caterpillars remove a lot of leaves from host plants like willows, poplar, elm, and bushes as they multiply.
Even though the caterpillars with spines look weak, they won’t give up easily.
When the young caterpillars, which live in groups in cotton webs, feel threatened, they all twitch at the same time, making their spiky bodies shake as a whole. This makes them less appealing to animals that want to eat them.
The tiny spines don’t hurt people, but touching them can irritate the skin or give them a mild sting. It’s best not to touch Mourning Cloak caterpillars with your bare hands, even though their stings usually don’t hurt too badly. This is especially true if you have sensitive skin or a history of allergic responses.
When the caterpillar is ready for the next stage, it spins a cozy cocoon. This is where it changes into a lovely Mourning Cloak butterfly.
As the caterpillars learn to fly, they can be very helpful, especially if you grow a lot of flowers and vegetables in your yard. Their favorite food is rotten fruit, which helps the fruit break down.