Mourning Cloaks

This past Sunday I explored the area of Connetquot River State Park just north of Veteran’s Highway. During my walk, I came across this butterfly. It's a Mourning Cloak. The unusual name refers to its resemblance to the dark coats worn by mourners in the olden days. Unlike most other butterflies that migrate in the fall, Mourning Cloaks stay, hibernating in tree cavities and bark. They emerge in the early spring, before most migrating butterflies arrive, and for this reason they are often one of the first butterflies to be seen.