Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa · Butterflies
Mourning Cloak caterpillar
Redwoods, Northern California, 24 April 2025
A Mourning Cloak caterpillar on the redwood forest floor in April. The adult is a butterfly of woodland and stream edges across the whole northern hemisphere, and the caterpillars feed in groups on willow, elm and poplar, which is where this one will have come down from.
Black, speckled with white, and armed along its back with branched orange-based spines. The adult is one of the longest-lived butterflies in North America, sometimes overwintering as an adult to fly again the following spring. It is the Camberwell Beauty of Britain under another name, where it is a rare vagrant that once turned up in Camberwell and has been famous there ever since.
Birds, insects, plants and other wildlife, mostly from Brooklyn, with some from further afield.
Every photograph comes with notes on what it is.
Selected
Favourite shots. Filter by subject, or .
Places
Everything, by where it was taken.
Species
Larger catalogue of photos organized by species of animal or plant.
Catalogue
Every photograph, newest first. Narrow it by period, place or species; the three work together.
Updates
Coming soon. Sign up at the bottom of the page for updates.