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A search for a favorite harbinger of spring was rewarded last Saturday to Mtn. Lake Park resident and wildlife photographer Fran Pope. What she was looking for, and found, was this “mourning cloak” butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa) resting in a sunny spot in the Potomac State Forest. Adult mourning cloaks are probably the longest-lived butterfly in North America, Pope said, some surviving in excess of 10 months. Often the species is the first butterfly seen in the spring because they overwinter as adults. This one shows a little wear and tear, Pope noted, but not so bad for spending a cold winter tucked into a safe place in the woods, perhaps a hollow tree. Mourning cloaks, which in 2001 were named the Montana state butterfly, are found almost everywhere throughout North America and range south to central Mexico. Hopefully he will weather today’s chilly temps and flurries, which are to continue on and off for several days.
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