Cloaks acting Cloaky...

13 years ago

Abt 3 days ago.My husband came inside to tell me that a Mourning Cloak
Was outside sitting on the ground sunning.It was on the path that leads
Upslope to our auto shop which is abt 100 yards behind our house.This
Path is a territorial path shared by the AngleWings,Red Admirals,and Cloaks who have long been established here.I have not observed other
Butterflies hanging out here.Anyway I walked up to see it and before I
Reached it I saw another Cloak approach it which result was a sort of
Confrontation with both butterflies facing off and flying straight up in the
Air with neither giving ground until they were above the tree tops at which
Point one gave way and the other chased it into the woods and was back
In a moment to sit down in the same spot.It sunned for a while before
Leaving.Today the AngleWings are disputing another spot on the path.
They all really like this path,and they usually hold to the same general
Spots .The weather has been rather mild this season so far.I keep all
My big heavy coated feed sacks in the pool shed after they are empty
To cover seed beds on nights if the temps are going to drop too low.
I planted a little early this year so I did use the sacks.With the adopted
Dogs and my husband's Emu I can keep up a good supply of these
Usefull sacks!
This afternoon a beautiful Eastern Tiger showed up abt the yard;it is the
First this season.I hope these butterflies are not out too early!!!
DD

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Comments (3)

MissSherry
13 years ago
I hope they're not out too early, too, DD! I haven't seen any swallowtails this season, other than the pipevine swallowtail I released from the cage on my porch. This has been a cool winter, not warm, with only a few freezes, and those were barely freezes, maybe 31 or 30 degrees for the low temp for the night.
Still, I'm not energetic enough to plant seeds now. Congratulations to you, DD!

I know what you mean about certain places being hangouts for certain butterflies. The mourning cloak I saw earlier this year was just off the same road that the road admiral (red admiral) claims.

Have you ever found a mourning cloak caterpillar?

Sherry
dragonflydee
Original Author
13 years ago
Sherry,I have found in both Covington county where I was born and Coffee
County where I live black cats that match pictures.The Picts were in The
Butterfly Book byStokes/Williams,Audubon Field Guide NA Butterflies,
Field Guide Insects and Spiders of NA(National Wildlife Fed),and Bright/Ogard Butterflies of Alabama.All I have found were in rural wooded
Locations.I have found less than five,and some were on the ground in the
Woods crawling along...alone.I have only found abt 3 or 4 chrysalis with all
Hanging up under some sort of rain and weather shed rather low to the ground in my opinion.Usually of wood...like old twisted stumps and timber
Breakdowns...where you are likely to be confronted with one of those huge
Female Black Widows...sitting on a egg case.
DD
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Leafhead
13 years ago
Yikes!! Spiders creep me out. We have our share of arachnids up here too, but thankfully no BW's.
One of the prettiest sights I've seen up here was on a camping trip; Cloaks & Red Spotted Purples in a clearing in the woods, sunning and squaring off.
I still remember the sun on their wings.