Nymphalis antiopa

Mid March to Mid October. One brood emerges in June or July.

Wherever host plants are found

Young leaves of mostly willow, but also Plains Cottonwood (Populus deltoides var. molinifera), Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides), American Elm (Ulmus americana), Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera), and Northern Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis).

Mostly oak and maple sap, but also other tree sap, rotting fruit, and occasionally flower nectar. Often found at sapsucker holes in the spring.

This is a large, dark, brushfooted butterfly. It has a wingspan of 2¼″ to 4″.

Young butterflies are reddish-brown above with a wide yellow border at the outer margin and conspicuous, iridescent blue submarginal spots. The underside is dark, striated brown with a wide white border at the outer margin. Older individuals in May and June are dark brown above with a wide cream to yellow border at the outer margin and less conspicuous submarginal spots.

The caterpillar is black with much white flecking, a narrow black line down the center, 2 rows of red spots, and numerous long, shiny, black spines.

This is usually the first butterfly seen in the spring because most adults overwinter. It is also one of the longest lived butterflies in Minnesota, living up to 10 months.

Caterpillars live in a communal web.

After the new brood emerges in June or July they enter a period of dormancy (aestivate) similar to hibernation. They fly again in September and October.

Most adults hibernate in the winter in hollow logs, wood piles, and loose bark. Some adults migrate south in the fall.

Unmistakable. No similar species.