Butterfly mourning - description, habitat, species

By mourning is meant a large-sized butterfly. It lives preferably in Eurasia, but bypasses the tropical regions. Otherwise, this variety is called antiope.

Description

1. Females masonry at the beginning of summer. After 15-20 days, larvae appear pigmented in black or dark gray. They have whitish blotches and reddish spots. The little bodies are covered with a small pile and spikes.
2. Larvae feed on foliage of trees. In the middle of summer, they pupate, pupae attach to trees and are in this state for more than 10 days. Adult individuals are pigmented black or dark, there are light borders that pass along the wings. At the edges, these borders are painted blue.
3. Butterflies are considered to be large, although they are rather average. In terms of wingspan, individuals reach about 9 cm, this is the maximum value, representatives of the family are often found, which are much smaller in size.
4. The pigmentation of individuals of the two sexes varies slightly, but the head remains invariably black. On it flaunts a trunk, 2 pairs of eyes simple and complex, as well as a mustache that helps lepidopteran creatures to know the environment.
5. The paws are equipped with taste buds, the legs themselves are composed of lower leg, trochanter, pelvis and thigh. Wings in their features have a webbed structure. They are strong, thanks to which individuals fly for a long time. The abdominal part consists of 10 sections; reproductive and respiratory organs are observed in this zone.

Breeding

1. These butterflies are not considered fertile enough. They can lay eggs, as previously mentioned, annually, but only once. In the back of the abdominal section there are special glands that secrete a secret and thereby attract representatives of male gender. They find females by smell, which they feel from a long distance.
2. When a newly-mated couple is formed and ready for reproduction, mating begins. This process can continue for a long time, often it drags on from half an hour to several hours or even more. Individuals mate, being on the ground or sitting on plants.
3. In the vastness of our homeland, these varieties of Lepidoptera creatures are shown in the summer. Typically, this occurs either in the middle or at the end of the season. You can meet them until the middle of autumn. If the temperature drops sharply at night, the butterflies begin to search for shelters for a comfortable existence.

Characteristics

1. A characteristic feature of the individual can be considered that they almost never feed on the nectar of flowering plants. The basis of their diet, as a rule, includes overripe fruits. It is the aroma of fermentation that attracts the attention of these insects.
2. They can cling to a tree in a large flock, which lets the fermented juice. Most often, such a liquid appears on damaged trunks. It is worth noting that such butterflies were noticed when they feasted on birch sap.
3. Surprisingly, during a meal with fermented juice, insects completely lose their vigilance. They can sit on field weeds or flowers. In addition, such butterflies make up for the lack of trace elements in their body from rotting residues and animal excrement.
4. Such individuals simply need a huge amount of moisture. In other conditions, away from water bodies, insects cannot survive. As mentioned earlier, birch sap for mourning is a real treat.
5. As for the caterpillars, in most cases they prefer fodder plants.Therefore, their diet is extensive. Caterpillars actively devour linden, alder, maple, hawthorn, dog rose, nettle, poplar and willow.

Lifestyle

1. As noted earlier, only in rare cases such butterflies can be observed on flowers. Such individuals appear in only one generation. As for subspecies, they are unknown. However, it is worth noting that such individuals have a large number of morphs.
2. Such individuals may vary in brightness. Moreover, external characteristics depend on habitats and time of year. If the imago was born in the spring, then it will have a faded color. Individuals are adapted for long flights.

A butterfly can go on a long journey as soon as it is born. The duration of the flight will directly depend on weather conditions. In summer, when the weather is sunny, the migration of insects lasts for several days. Butterflies fly out mainly in the middle of summer.

Video: butterfly mourning (Nymphalis antiopa)