If you're interested in the identity of the snail I posted about last night, I'm going to delay the answer by one day — mostly because there might be more footage we can share, but it's not quite ready yet. For now, I hope you enjoy this beautiful Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)!
Air temperatures reached 68°F on Cotati today (and I heard that Santa Rosa reached 72°F, tying a record for the date). Around mid-day Eric spotted a Mourning Cloak in our backyard, but it flew off before I could take a photo. So I went for a short walk down the street to a spot where I thought it would possible to see another one, and sure enough there were two Mourning Cloaks there sunning in a wet wooded area.
This is one of my favorite butterflies, but I don't see them that often. I love the deep mahogany color above and the beautiful gold and blue combination along the wing margins. And they look completely different when the wings are closed, more like a dark leaf or piece of bark:
1 comment:
Thanks for noticing and posting this lovely butterfly. It is remarkable in that it is not only one of the longest-lived butterflies, but it also can hibernate, overwintering in leaf piles, tree bark, etc. As a youth in Northern Minnesota I was astounded to see one now and then flying in March when the landscape was still snow-covered.
Dennis Olson
Santa Rosa
Post a Comment