We saw our first butterfly of the season on the Beech Forest Trail. What a treat! It was a Mourning Cloak butterfly and it was just gorgeous! (Click on blog link for other photo.)
We saw a “flutter” on the trail but, by the time we realized what it was, it had flown away. We never expected to see a butterfly in April! By the time we finished our hike, we had seen about 10 of them on the sandy trail, in the trees and on the bushes.
“In their adult form, Mourning Cloaks showcase a rich maroon or brown hue when their wings are spread, bordered by pale yellow edges and accented with black and iridescent blue spots. The underside of their wings presents dull gray striations, maintaining the pale yellow borders.”
You can see by the 2nd photo how they camouflage right into their surroundings when their wings are closed. Have you seen any butterflies yet this spring?
Why they’re the “first” of spring:
“These butterflies use a couple of tricks to help them survive the changing seasons for almost a year—a fairly long life for a butterfly. Each year’s new adults emerge from their cocoons in July. These new adults then undergo a summer hibernation, or aestivation, until fall when they begin feeding mostly on tree sap and rotting fruit to prepare for winter. Once winter arrives, these butterflies hide in crevices and under the bark of trees and undergo a form of winter hibernation until temperatures get warm enough for them to emerge. Mourning cloaks begin to come out from their hiding places once temperatures stay around 60° Fahrenheit…”
https://www.lakemetroparks.com/along-the-trail/april-2021/first-butterfly-of-spring-the-mourning-cloak/
Fascinating! Thank you!