Butterfly in Winter

[JOHN and SUE FLETCHER]

valeries at home.com wrote in message <36EACA98.2C7AFCB1 at home.com>...
>I live in Ft. McMurray, Alberta.  This morning with -1 celcius, I found
>a very large, black & orange butterfly perched on my metal shed.  Does
>anyone have any ideas where this butterfly came from?
>
>I am stumped as to what to tell my children.
>valeries at home.com

Could be a Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa). This butterfly overwinters as
an adult usually hiding in the bark of trees and is inactive most of the
winter but on a bright sunny day when the sun warms its wings it will go for
a short flight get a small sip of water to rehydrate and disappear back into
the bark of a tree trunk.  I I've seen quite a few in flight over the years
here in Southern Ontario perhaps someone reading this can confirm if they
extend as far north as your locale.