Description
 The wingspan of the mourning cloak is 3 to 3.5 inches. It has
ragged, scalloped maroon-brown wings with bright blue spots edged by a band of yellow at the edges. The undersides of its wings are a blackish-brown edged by a brownish-yellow border. When it is at rest on a tree with its wings folded, it is perfectly camouflaged!
Range
 The mourning cloak is found throughout North America from Canada to southern South America. It is rare in the Gulf states and in Florida. The mourning cloak is found throughout New Hampshire.
Habitat
The mourning cloak is found in sunny glades, forest borders, parks, gardens, open woodlands, streams, lakes, ponds, and groves.
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Diet
The caterpillar of the mourning cloak feeds in groups on the leaves of deciduous trees, including the willow, elm, hackberry, aspen, cottonwood, poplar, rose, birch, hawthorne, and mulberry trees. The adult butterfly feeds on tree sap and rotting fruit. It may also eat nectar from flowers.
Lifecycle
 Mourning cloaks mate in early spring. The female mourning cloak
lays pale yellow eggs in clusters on or around around twigs.
The eggs are usually laid on
host trees like willow, elm, hackberry, cottonwood, poplar, rose, birch, hawthorne, and mulberry.
When the caterpillars hatch they eat the leaves of the host plant. The caterpillars pupate and emerge as butterflies in June or July. The adult butterfly hibernate in the winter and emerges and mates in the spring. Some groups may migrate.
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