Jason E. Andersen

Bonus fun fact: The Mourning Cloak butterfly is one of the earliest emerging butterflies, appearing as early as March. They are able to do this because they are one of the few butterfly species to overwinter as fully-grown adults. This gives them the ability to become active as soon as possible after the weather begins to warm. Mourning Cloaks have a distinct yellow margin on the upper and lower sides of their wings, with bright blue dots on the upper sides, and are most commonly seen near wooded areas. Keep your eyes peeled for these striking butters!