Nymphalidae

I felt I should rearrange the data about Mourning Cloaks into the entry which actually features a picture of the butterfly. Once I return from the cruise, I will upload pictures of the adult Mourning Cloak.

*Update: I have returned, today is 25 April, and the chrysalis was formed on 6 April. That means that the chrysalis is 18 days old. It would appear that the estimate I found online was rather off, either that or my butterfly is taking its time. Here is a photo of the chrysalis, much developed. If you look closely, the abdomen segment has stretched, and the wing segment shows a lighter band around the edge, which corresponds to the yellow band on the edge of the Mourning Cloak's wing. From what I can tell, the butterfly is alive and well, and about to burst from its cocoon. I am glad I am here to see it!*

*Second Update - it has been 23 days now, and I extracted the butterfly from its dry chrysalis. The butterfly is completely intact, not dried out, but is unable to complete metamorphosis - possibly because it does not have enough energy/chemical reserves to emerge from its dormant state. Here are the photos of the extracted butterfly.

Mourning Cloak butterflies are members of Nymphalidae, or Brush-Footed Butterflies. There are about 210 species in North America, and they earned their name because the front legs are reduced and lack claws. Only the middle and hind legs are used in walking. The chrysalids are also suspended by the cremaster, a spinelike or hooked process at the posterior end of the pupa which is used for attachment.

Lepidoptera; Papilionoidea; Nymphalidae; Nymphalinae; Nymphalis antiopa
Common Name (Adult): Mourning Cloak

The Mourning Cloak derives its name from greek - Nymphalis means "of or pertaining to a fountain" and Antiopa was the name of the wife of Lycus, king of Thebes. A little history on Antiopa - she was the daughter of Nycteus and was violated by Epaphus. As a result, her husband cast her away and remarried Dirce. Dirce suspected her husband was cheating on her with his ex-wife, so she commanded that Antiopa be confined. At the time, she was pregnant, but she managed to escape and gave birth on Mount Cithaeron. Her twin children were raised by shepherds, and eventually learned of their heritage and avenged Antiopa by binding Dirce to an untamed bull. I have no clue how this pertains to the butterfly, perhaps the hardship of overwintering?

Apparently Mourning Cloaks are one of the earliest emerging butterflies of the spring season, and like other early season butterflies, they have dark colors. Darker colors increase heat absorption from the sun, aiding them in these cooler days before summer. Mourning Cloaks are also one of the longest lived butterflies, surviving for 8-11 months and overwintering. Of course, an individual Mourning Cloak probably doesn't live that long due to environmental hazards and predation. Mourning Cloak larvae also tend to aggregate together, as their spines are more repellent to predators in large numbers. However, when they have finished growing, they go off on their own to find a safe place to form a chrysalis.

Metamorphosis

Well, it looks like I was right about that Mourning Cloak larvae being on the brink of forming a chrysalis - yesterday he spun an anchor on a grass stem and started hanging upside down. Gradually throughout the day he seemed to become fatter near the anchor and the pseudo-feet (the little nubs a caterpillar uses to move the part of its body beneath its little real feet) became hollow. By morning it had shuffled off its old exoskeleton, revealing a gray, spiky chrysalis.

Now, according to internet resources, the butterfly should emerge in 10-15 days, depending on temperature (warmer = faster development). However, I leave on a cruise this Sunday, so it will certainly emerge while I am away on the cruise and I do not return for 12 days. To remedy this, I have an insect home which was supplied by a "Raise Your Own Praying Mantis" kit. It has net-sides and clear plastic sides. I never did raise the mantises because apparently it is very intensive, such as raising your own fruit flies to feed to the mantises, and over 200 mantises hatch from your provided egg case. I will place the chrysalis inside the enclosure, and instruct Kit on how to feed it.

Here is an easy-to-make butterfly feeding station:
Requires: 1 sponge, sugar, water, fruit (juicy preferred), saucer or plate.
1. Mix warm water and sugar - 2 teaspoons per 8 oz of water - then set aside to cool
2. Slice fruit to expose juicy segments, set on saucer or plate
3. Cut sponge to an appropriate size and soak up the sugar water with it so that it is still dripping and set on the saucer next to the fruit
4. Place in an area accessible to butterflies and wait
5. Extra step: decorate the saucer with colors that appeal to butterflies, such as pink, red, purple, or yellow. Bee colors, for those who are interested, tend to be whites and blues.

In my case, I (well, Kit) will be placing the saucer directly into the enclosure and that will be the butterfly's food until I return. The fruit will need to be changed every so often, and the sponge re-moistened. Here is the completed butterfly home.

One Day's Foray

Well, went to a slightly different location to hunt than usual - same stream/canyon network, just a different part of it. I took a lot of live shots, and have at least 6 insects that are on the pinning board right now. One is definitely a new family for the collection, not too sure about the rest. The following are live shots of specimens I did not collect for one reason or another - usually because I already have pictures or a member of that family.

The above Hemipteran is a member of family Coreidae, or Leaffooted Bugs. This one was found on cacti, as were the other specimens I caught that are currently in the collection. It is highly likely it is Narnia snowi, a Leaffooted bug that feeds on Prickly Pear Cacti. The blue damselfly is likely the male version of the species that was common in the area, with the more drab colored female pictured below. They have been keyed to Coenagrionidae, but without a more detailed key it is difficult to distinguish them from other common blue damselflies.

The above show a ladybug larvae. I was hoping for better resolution thanks to natural lighting compared to the picture I posted before.

Finally, here is a larvae I chose to capture - I don't think I have the heart to pin him right after he hatches (mainly because I just have this one, whereas with the other caterpillars I have six, so if they all metamorphose I won't feel too bad keeping one). This caterpillar is the larvae of the Mourning Cloak, a common butterfly in Southern California. It was actually the first butterfly I had any experience with, when one formed a chrysalis on the gate at my house when I was about 5 years old. I will take plenty of pictures, since this specimen seems sufficiently large that he will form a chrysalis soon.

Lepidoptera; Papilionoidea; Nymphalidae; Nymphalinae; Nymphalis antiopa
Common Name (Larvae): Spiny Elm Caterpillar