The Myth-Busting Mourning Cloak

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Kristin S.

Mourning cloak copyright Frank ModelEvery year I wait eagerly to see my first butterfly of spring. Most likely, it will be a mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), a large butterfly with velvety brown wings and yellowish white wing edges. This beautiful “harbinger of spring” emerges on the first warm days, often before all the snow has melted.

How does the mourning cloak appear so early in the season? Hold onto your hats because this gorgeous insect contradicts everything we tend to believe about butterflies:

Myth 1: Butterflies die or head south for the winter.
Mourning cloak adults hibernate through the New England winter. Relying on “antifreeze” chemicals in their blood, mourning cloaks spend the winter in a sheltered place, such as in rock crevices, under bark, or in a woodpile. They emerge on warm days, sometimes as early as February, and treat us to visions of spring with their graceful flight. Other overwintering butterflies in New England to watch for include eastern commas, question marks, and compton tortoiseshells.

Myth 2: Adult butterflies only live for a few days.
Due to their overwintering strategy, mourning cloaks can have a lifespan of over 10 months. One of our longest-lived butterflies, mourning cloaks have been seen in flight in Massachusetts during every month of the year.

Myth 3: Butterflies nectar on flowers.
There are no blooming flowers in early spring when mourning cloaks emerge, so how do they feed? Mostly on tree sap, particularly from oaks. Mourning cloaks will also feed—brace yourself—on animal droppings and decaying things. Occasionally, if I have been hiking hard, a mourning cloak will land on my hand or head, attracted by the minerals in human sweat.

So, on the first warm day head toward a sun-dappled opening in the woods, preferably with storm-damaged trees and broken branches dripping sap, and wait for this resilient insect to make its appearance. Like you, it has managed to survive another New England winter.

To learn more about the mourning cloak and other butterflies of Massachusetts, check out Mass Audubon’s Butterfly Atlas.

Photo © Frank Model

Spring Street Woodlands Success Story

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Hillary T.

Spring StreetThanks to an outpouring of support, Mass Audubon has raised enough funds to conserve the 31-acre Spring Street Woodlands property in Marshfield, officially adding it to North River Wildlife Sanctuary.

Before this achievement, Spring Street Woodlands, owned by the Hale family, was the largest parcel of unprotected land adjacent to the wildlife sanctuary. The forested property is also ecological diverse, providing a home to a range of native and rare species, from the red-backed salamander to mink to ruffed grouse. Adding the 31 acres to North River will create an uninterrupted corridor for wildlife to safely travel and thrive.

Spring Street Woodlands mapThe Spring Street Woodlands property also serves as the source of Hannah Eames Brook, an important freshwater stream that flows through North River Wildlife Sanctuary and into North River, the only state designated scenic and recreational river. By protecting the land, we can help ensure the high water quality of the brook for generations to come.

This addition doesn’t just benefit wildlife and water quality. The existing informal network of well-used trails will remain open for neighbors and the community to enjoy.

“Conserving this land is incredibly beneficial to North River Wildlife Sanctuary, to the wildlife and flora in this area, and to our local community. I’m extremely appreciative that so many people acted so generously and thoughtfully to make this happen,” said Sue MacCallum, South Shore Sanctuaries Director.

To learn more about our land protection efforts like this one, visit our website.