Mourning Cloak

While I have been out photographing owls at the Dodge Nature Center the past few days I have noticed that there are already insects flying around. Last week I spotted a honey bee, no doubt from the nature centers hives, and this weekend I have seen some small moth type insects. I have not seen any of the larger fun insects that I like to photograph like dragonflies or butterflies but with high temps this week close to or into the 60s I might start to see them this week. Usually the first butterfly that I see each year is the mourning cloak. This butterfly over winters as an adult. It will go into a type of hibernated state in a protected place producing a natural type of anti-freeze to help keep itself alive over the cold Minnesota winter. As soon as it begins to get warm, often not much above 50 degrees then these butterflies come back alive and go out looking to mate and begin a new generation.