Unique Diet and Survival Strategies
Unlike many of their nectar-loving relatives, Mourning Cloak butterflies have a taste for sap, rotting fruit, and the sugary residue left behind by aphids. This unusual diet helps them thrive in various environments where flowers may not be readily available.
These all-season butterflies are particularly remarkable for their ability to survive extreme weather conditions. During the winter, they overwinter as adults in cozy shelters like tree hollows, sheds, or other protected places. Their secret to surviving temperatures as low as -80 degrees Fahrenheit lies in a natural antifreeze, primarily composed of glycerol—a type of sugar. This biochemical superpower allows them to withstand the harshest cold. Conversely, in extreme heat, they enter a state of dormancy, re-emerging in the fall to feed and pack on fat reserves to endure the upcoming winter.
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