Nymphalis antiopa
Mourning Cloak ( Nymphalis antiopa )
The Mourning Cloak ( Nymphalis antiopa ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Nymphalidae ( Nymphalidae ).
- 6.1 Notes and references
- 6.2 Literature
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 55 to 75 millimeters. The top side of their wings is colored predominantly dark brown violet. The edge is cream to pale yellow and slightly serrated. After wintering faded the yellow border and then white. Behind the yellow edge includes a black border of the many strung together, including bruises on. At the wing leading edge you can see a bright spot, and another a little further inside this dark edge. The underside of the wings is mostly black in color, in addition, there is only the yellow edge whose color is much paler than on the top. The wing undersides are similar, such as the tops, but irregularly colored dirty. The dark area has bright spots, the bright dark edge.
The caterpillars are 50 to 55 millimeters long. They are black in color and have a very fine white stippling on. On the back they wear distinctive red-orange spots. In addition, they have long, black spines and hairs are white.
Occurrence
The butterflies come in all Europe - except in the northwest of Scandinavia and the far north - and in Asia, east to Japan before. Also, in many parts of North America they are native, but come, as elsewhere, only in areas with continental climate before. They live mainly in sparse, open and moist deciduous forests, but they are also found in orchards and avenues. They fly it to heights of about 2,000 meters.
Way of life
The adults rarely suck on flowers but mainly on tree sap and fallen fruit. Only in the spring they are often found on willow flowers. You are migrant moths and spread already directly after hatching. The wintering of moths takes place for example in knot holes and crevices.
Flight times and caterpillars
The mourning cloak flies in one generation from the end of July and after hibernation until June. So fly, except for the winter months throughout the year, except for a summer break between June and July. The caterpillars can be found here in June and July.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed mainly of birches such as Silver birch (Betula pendula) and narrow-leaved willow, such as Goat Willow (Salix caprea ) and elm (Ulmus ).
Development
The females lay their eggs in groups of 100 to 200 pieces in thick rings, which are not closed on thin branches of forage plants from. The resulting hatching caterpillars live together and eat a systematic branch after the other. After the last moult they then live in small groups each on different branches. Are they fully grown, they set off on the search for a suitable place to pupate. She lay back sometimes great distances. Pupation takes place in a light brown to greyish Stürzpuppe on rocks, walls and shrubs. Many caterpillars are attacked by parasitoids such as parasitic wasps and go as to why. The frequency fluctuations, in which the moths occur justify probably in the intensity of parasite infestation. The mourning cloak was one of the known species with which you hired temperature experiments (such as the Standfuss'sche test series or the Frings'schen temperature tests).
Threats and conservation
The mourning cloak is classified in many parts of Europe as a more or less at risk and is declining in its populations, particularly in Central Europe. Exceptions are moist and cool regions. So they can be found, among others, in the hill country.
- Red List BRD: V ( near threatened )