Mourning Cloak Butterfly

Mourning Cloak Butterfly (Family Nymphalidae)

This common butterfly, the Mourning Cloak Butterfly, is distinguished by its warm purple colours with soft yellow borders and line of blue spots trimming the wings. The underside of the wings are dark which is necessary to hide this butterfly through its hibernation period. This migrating butterfly has a wingspan of 65 mm. It breeds on beeches, elms and willow trees. It is found in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. [BM] {EB}