Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc. (Nymphalinae) » Nymphalini » Tortoiseshells (Nymphalis) » Mourning Cloak - Hodges#4432 (Nymphalis antiopa)
Photo#86332
Hanging Caterpillars in Lower Fish Creek - Nymphalis antiopa
Copyright © 2006 Darrell Foster

Hanging Caterpillars in Lower Fish Creek - Nymphalis antiopa
Superstition Wilderness, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA
April 17, 2005
Hiking in Lower Fish Creek Canyon in the Superstition Mountain Wilderness in Maricopa County, AZ, my friend Darrell took this photo of these caterpillars.

This is a riparian area 45 miles west of Phoenix, AZ. Elevation is 2,000 feet.
Contributed by Alan English on 8 November, 2006 - 4:25pm
Last updated 12 July, 2015 - 1:38pm

Nice shot
I believe these are Mourning Cloak caterpillars, feeding on willow. Wagner (1) says this larva can't be confused with any other.

Compare:

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 8 November, 2006 - 6:24pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo