dots of light green, and each segment bears a transverse row of 
branched spines. 
The mourning-cloak butterfly, Nymphalis antiopa (L.), is a 
widespread species, occuring throughout the subarctic regions of 
North America. The larvae, commonly known as spiny-elm cater- 
pillars, feed on elm, willow, poplar, and hackberry, and are some- 
times abundant locally, especially on shade and ornamental trees 
and along fence rows. Adults are black-bodied and have wing- 
spreads of 60 to 80 mm. The upper wing surface is dark red- 
dish-brown except for a broad, creamy-yellow border, which 
contains a row of blue spots. Full-grown caterpillars (fig. 105) 
are black, with a scattering of white dots and a red dot on the 
dorsum of abdominal segments one to seven. The head is covered 
with tubercles; the body with many large, branched spines. 
COURTESY CONN. AGR. EXPT. STA. 
FIGURE 105.—Larvae of the 
mourning-cloak butterfly. 
Nymphalis antiopa. 
Winter is spent in the adult stage, and the adults appear in 
early spring. Eggs are deposited in clusters around small twigs. 
The larvae feed gregariously until almost full grown and usually 
defoliate one branch before moving to another. Chrysalids are 
formed in June or early July. Adults soon appear and lay the 
eggs for a second brood. Larvae of this generation are present 
until September. Then they pupate and the adults emerge to hi- 
bernate. There are one or two generations per year, depending on 
location. — 
The mourning-cloak butterfly is of minor importance in the 
forest, but is sometimes injurious to shade and ornamental trees. 
Infestations can be controlled by cutting and burning infested 
twigs and small branches. 
The viceroy, Limenitis (=Basilarchia) archippus (Cramer), 
occurs over most of the United States and feeds on poplar, willow, 
and plum. The adult resembles the well-known monarch butterfly, 
Danaus plexippus (L.), but differs by being slightly smaller, hav- 
ing a narrow black line across the hindwings and only a single 
row of black spots in the black marginal band of the wings. The 
full-grown caterpillar is about 37 mm. long. The head is large, 
pale green, and bilobed. Body segments one and two are pinkish 
to brownish; segments three to six and the sides of seven are 
brownish or greenish; the tops of segments seven and nine and 
nearly all of eight are pale-pinkish or whitish; and the top of nine 
and nearly all of the last three are brownish or greenish. There 
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