Mourning cloak (Nymphalis Antiopa) behavior and ecology

[Guy Van de Poel]

Just a thought,

> They sit on sun-warmed banksides and bask. They will feed on tree
>sap (the cut ends of moose-browsed willow twigs are an excellent source of
>sap).


This may be an additional reason for the diminishing presence of N. antiopa
and N. polychloros in central and western Europe. Deer and other larger
animals (cows) can only feed at twigs outside the forests, and thus hedges
are the ideal sites to feed for these butterflies (also microclimatic, since
the hedges will protect from the wind and favour the basking, when oriented
right). Due to the fact that farmers are using every available square meter,
these hedges have almost all disappeared.
I just saw workers 'clean' up the hedges along the motorway I take home
every day. We will end up with such a 'clean' world, that nothing else will
be able to survive in it.

Guy.

Guy Van de Poel
Guy_VdP at t-online.de

Royal Entomological Society of Antwerp
http://www.freeyellow.com/members/fransjanssens/index.html