BUTTERFLY CORNER

Ryall, M. E. (2008, April 2). Butterflies wake up before the snow melts, Washburn County Register, p. 13.

Butterflies wake up before the snow melts

by Mary Ellen Ryall

Last Friday I talked with Greg and Edith Kittelsen at the mayoral forum at WITC. Greg said, “Edith saw a butterfly on the back porch a few days ago.” I wondered could it be the mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)? I emailed them a photo of the butterfly and Greg wrote back, “ It looks like the one that was on our porch.” After a little more discourse on identification markings, Greg wrote, “It was your guy.”

This rather large butterfly may be the longest-living butterfly, with a life expectancy of 10 to 11 months, compared to the monarch butterfly that only lives an average of 8 weeks from egg to full development. It is an intriguing butterfly because when it is in flight or rest the wings are shaped like a cloak. The main color is dark maroon or black. A marginal yellow band adorns the outer edge of the wings along with splashes of iridescent blue just inside the border. The butterfly graceful glides when it flies.

Mourning cloaks do not nectar. The adult butterfly feeds at sapsucker feeding holes from a variety of trees, especially oaks. Look for two parallel rows of small holes that ooze sap to see if you can spot the butterfly. The caterpillar feeds mainly on willow leaves, but will also partake of birch, elm, and aspen leaves.

This abundant butterfly hibernates in winter and has been the state butterfly of Montana, USA, since 2001.

Butterfly Source: Happy Tonics Butterflies and Gardens, May 2006, Volume II Issue 5, p. 1.