Mourning Cloak at NBC, 2/15/25

Four days ago Javi Gonzalez glimpsed a Mourning Cloak at the National Butterfly Center.  Unaware of that sighting Mary Beth Stowe photographed one the next day which I searched for but failed to find.  Now three days later Terry Mortier photographed what is probably the same one while I was eating my lunch at the NBC in the south parking lot.  After seeing the alert on Discord, I wolfed down a few more bites and went running.

To the north, Mouning Cloaks are famous for being a harbinger of spring, often emerging on cold sunny days even while snow is on the ground.  They occur from Canada south to the highlands of Mexico.  Caterpillars feed on willows.  This is only the third I've ever seen in the Rio Grande Valley, the previous two on 11/15/11 and 11/20/12.  So this is my first for spring (Yes I realize it's winter but it's spring down here.)  Not sure what this Mourning Cloak thought about the 92F today!