University of Alberta Museums Search

The deep brown upperside rimmed with blue spots and a powder-yellow margin is unmistakable. Spring specimens are flight-worn and are faded to maroon-brown with yellowish-white margins. The Mourning Cloak is remarakbly consistent in appearance across its vast North American range, and there are no recognized subspecies (Layberry et al. 1998, Guppy & Shepard 2001).

The eggs are laid in clusters on the hostplant, and the caterpillars initially live in colonies (Scott 1986). The larvae possess branched spines, and are velvety black with small white spots and a line of dorsal red spots (Guppy & Shepard 2001). The adults are one of the longest-lived species in Alberta, and can live to be nearly a year old since they hatch in July or August, overwinter, and are occasionally found into June of the following year. Because they sometimes appear on warm winter days, Mourning Cloaks can be seen in almost any month of the year.

The larvae feed on various trees including elm (Ulmus spp.) and poplars (Populus spp.), and particularly willows (Salix spp.) (Layberry et al. 1998). Adults prefer tree sap and mammal scat to flower nectar.