Mourning Cloak Camouflage

Though easy to see in this picture, this mostly-earth-toned Mourning Cloak butterfly can be easy to miss in leaf litter [1]. And while that rich brown color of the top side of their wings can stand out, the underside of their wings - what you'll see when the wings are up - blends in even better with most backgrounds.

These butterflies will generally feed on organic fluids of some sort, like tree sap or rotting fruit, though usually not nectar. This means they can be active throughout much of the spring and autumn, and can occasionally be spotted during a stretch of warm winter weather.

May 12, 2023 at Lord Stirling Park
Photo 282422364, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

[1] I suspect they camouflage in autumn leaf litter when the leaves aren't mostly a washed-out brown.

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