Ecology Nymphalis antiopa

1 ecology

1.1 diet
1.2 predation
1.3 defense mechanisms
1.4 pollination

ecology
diet

the caterpillars begin eat leaves of primary host plants upon hatching. eat larger variety of primary host plants, such willow (salix nigra, salix pentandra, salix caprea, salix aurita, salix cinerea, salix phylicifolia), american elm, hackberry, hawthorn, wild rose, betula species (betula verrucosa, betula chinensis), alnus incana , poplar. upon hatching, mourning cloaks insatiable throughout development caterpillars.

adult mourning cloaks feed on sap , decaying matter, less commonly seen nectaring on flowers.

predation

the mourning cloak butterfly faces many predators throughout development. mourning cloak s eggs can eaten predators such beetles, true bugs, ants, beetle larvae, wasps, assassin bugs, , mites. of butterflies major predators include praying mantises, assassin bugs, dragon flies, , vertebrate predators such birds, reptiles, amphibians, , mammals.

defense mechanisms

an anti-predation mechanism mourning cloaks have employed adult butterflies camouflage. this, butterflies fold wings when attached trees folded wings provide camouflage against dark backdrop of trees.

an additional anti-predation tactic used mourning cloaks join other butterflies in perch , fly menacingly towards attackers—most birds or other butterflies.

further defense mechanisms include loud clicks when mourning cloak flies away predator.

to protect cold weather of habitats, mourning cloaks find areas under direct sunlight. behavior, in conjunction darkly-colored wings, allow maximum heat absorption.

newly hatched mourning cloak caterpillars can display selfish behavior, such siblicide, eating non-hatched eggs. larvae group duration of development, preventing predation numbers. larvae , pupae can respond disturbances twitching simultaneously – may performed defense mechanism.

pollination

mourning cloak butterflies not known predominant pollinators, since primary food source deciduous trees rather flowers. however, still can act pollinators. because of this, not offer hugely significant benefit humans. in fact, can pose problems because, specified previously, these larvae known destroy of host plant through clustering behavior.