The Mourning Cloak is one of North America's longest-lived butterflies, overwintering as an adult and sometimes living nearly a year. Its distinctive dark maroon wings are edged with bright yellow borders and a row of iridescent blue spots. Adults emerge on warm late-winter days to feed on tree sap and are among the first butterflies seen each spring.
Best time to see a Mourning Cloak
The best time to see a Mourning Cloak is March–June, when about 71% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 48,868 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Mourning Cloak? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Mourning Cloak sightings near you
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