Mourning Cloak Butterfly

March 6, 2026

Generally an adult butterfly has a short lifespan of just 2 to 4 weeks. The longest lifespan of an adult butterfly in North American is that of the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), from 10 to 12 months.

In order to accomplish this, the Mourning Cloak overwinters as an adult. They seek shelter from the winter weather in tree crevices, or wood piles.

I’ve been seeing Mourning Cloaks out already, enjoying the early March weather. As the seasons go by, keep in mind that you may see one of these butterflies on a warm midwinter day.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.