While walking through a
brushy creek valley on a warm spring day, Mishy saw many butterflies
overhead. There must have been hundreds
of them! On closer inspection though, there were only two! Probably a husband and a
wife because they were chasing each other around through the poplars and elm
trees that hovered above me coming to rest together on a wild rose bush close
by.
A closer look I noticed
their rich burgundy colored wings outlined with creamy white border. I never saw this type of butterfly in Mishy’s
small world, although they are the most widespread of all butterflies! If you haven’t guessed yet what they are
called, they are called the “Mourning Cloak”.
What a fitting name for them! The scientific name is Nymphalis antiopa,
but I can’t pronounce that properly so I will like their other name better!
By the end of the day, the
number of insect-eating birds increased dramatically, but even under the baking
sun, all signs of the mourning cloaks disappeared up and down the creek valley.
