Nymphalidae (Brush-footed)•Egg to adult: 39 days
Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa
Quick Rearing Snapshot & Biology Overview
Rearing and biology notes for Mourning Cloak
Host Plants
Black Willow (Salix nigra), Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica), American Elm (Ulmus americana)
Life Cycle Time
~39 Days total (Egg → Butterfly)
Winter Behavior
Pupal Diapause (Does Not Migrate)
Pupation Anchor
Vertical J-Hang
Thermal Degree-Day Hatch SimulatorInteractive
Slide ambient temperature to see how heat accelerates metamorphosis for Mourning Cloak
75°F / 24°C
65°F (Cool / Slow)75°F (Optimal Room Temp)85°F (Warm / Fast)
Egg Incubation~5 Days
Larval Instars~20 Days
Chrysalis / Pupa~14 Days
Total Metamorphosis~39 Days
*Calculated via standard insect thermal summation models (base threshold 50°F / 10°C).
PLATE IX • FIG. 9A•Taxonomic Plate • ADULT
Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa (Linnaeus, 1758) — Nymphalidae • Nymphalini
5 cm Scale
•
Creamy Amber Margin
•
Submarginal Blue Jewels
•
Velvet Maroon Disc
Key Diagnostic Field Identifiers:
- Deep velvety chocolate-maroon to purplish-black ground color on all wings
- Iridescent metallic sapphire-blue submarginal jewel spots
- Broad, creamy pastel yellow to amber outer marginal border
- Two pale yellow costal flecks on the dorsal forewing margin
- Underside resembles charred striated tree bark for flawless winter camouflage
:5 Days
:20 Days
:14 Days
:~39 Days
Larval Host Flora:
Silo 02 BotanyOnly supply fresh, pesticide-free foliage from these verified native botanical species:
- •Black Willow (Salix nigra)
- •Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica)
- •American Elm (Ulmus americana)
- •Trembling Aspen / Poplar (Populus tremuloides)
- •Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)
Key Husbandry Tips
Silo 04 Husbandry- •Eggs are laid in tightly clustered rings encircling small twigs. Caterpillars hatch together and feed communally.
- •Caterpillars display a spectacular synchronous twitching behavior if disturbed by parasitoid wasps.
- •Fresh willow or elm cuttings go into water picks with tight rubber grommets, so larvae cannot slip into the water and drown.
Frequently Asked Questions (Mourning Cloak)
Direct answers to the most common rearing, diet, and metamorphosis questions
Metamorphosis typically takes ~39 days from oviposition to adult eclosion at 75°F (24°C).
Master Research Guides for Mourning Cloak
Rearing protocols, lifecycle stages, and field husbandry
Husbandry & Pathology
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