Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) is in the Brush-footed Butterflies family (Nymphalidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 50,000 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: summer visitor / breeder. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Mourning Cloak: observations by month (U.S.)
About Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa, known as the mourning cloak in North America and the Camberwell beauty in Britain, is a large butterfly native to Eurasia and North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Mourning Cloak by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 17,692 | April | Feb–Jul |
| New York | 2,480 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Minnesota | 2,067 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Michigan | 1,834 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Colorado | 1,726 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Wisconsin | 1,433 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Vermont | 1,420 | April | Apr–Aug |
| New Mexico | 1,360 | June | Mar–Aug |
| Massachusetts | 1,310 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Texas | 1,295 | May | Mar–May |
| Pennsylvania | 1,250 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Arizona | 1,197 | April | Feb–Jul |
| Ohio | 1,192 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Illinois | 1,174 | June | Mar–Jul |
| Maryland | 961 | March | Mar–Jun |
| Virginia | 949 | May | Mar–Jun |
| Washington | 901 | April | Mar–Jul |
| New Hampshire | 834 | April | Apr–Aug |
| Maine | 776 | April | Apr–Sep |
| New Jersey | 771 | March | Mar–Jun |
| Utah | 699 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Oregon | 666 | April | Mar–Jul |
| Montana | 593 | August | Apr–Sep |
| North Carolina | 533 | May | Mar–Jun |
| Idaho | 507 | April | Mar–Aug |
| Connecticut | 425 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Nevada | 353 | April | Feb–Aug |
| Alaska | 346 | August | May–Sep |
| Indiana | 322 | March | Mar–Jun |
| Wyoming | 307 | August | Apr–Sep |
| Missouri | 278 | March | Mar–May |
| Arkansas | 251 | May | Mar–May |
| Oklahoma | 239 | May | May–May |
| West Virginia | 231 | June | Mar–Jul |
| Tennessee | 212 | March | Mar–Jun |
| Nebraska | 207 | May | Mar–Jul |
| Iowa | 189 | June | Mar–Jul |
| Kentucky | 166 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Georgia | 136 | March | Feb–May |
| Rhode Island | 119 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Kansas | 104 | May | Mar–Jun |
| South Dakota | 95 | June | Apr–Jul |
| South Carolina | 93 | May | Mar–May |
| Delaware | 71 | March | Mar–May |
| Alabama | 55 | May | Feb–May |
| North Dakota | 52 | May | Apr–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 49 | March | Mar–Jun |
| Louisiana | 36 | May | Mar–May |
| Mississippi | 34 | May | Mar–May |
| Florida | 10 | April | Mar–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related butterflies (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Monarch
Gulf Fritillary
Common Buckeye
Red Admiral
Pearl Crescent
Painted Lady
American Lady
Variegated Fritillary
Photography tips
- Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
- Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
- Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mourning Cloak?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to July.
Where is Mourning Cloak most often seen?
The most observations come from California, New York, Minnesota.