Mourning cloak vs Carolina grasshopper
These two are easy to mix up. Here's how to tell a mourning cloak from a Carolina grasshopper, and whether either one bites or stings.
Mourning cloak
Nymphalis antiopa
Carolina grasshopper
Dissosteira carolina
≠The key differences
In flight the black, pale-edged hind wings of the Carolina grasshopper can resemble a mourning cloak butterfly, but the grasshopper lands on bare ground and folds its wings, becoming a mottled grey-brown grasshopper; the mourning cloak is a butterfly with maroon-brown wings edged in cream.
⚖︎Side by side
| Mourning cloak | Carolina grasshopper | |
|---|---|---|
| To humans | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| Size | 6-8 cm wingspan (60-80 mm) | 25-50 mm body length |
| Colours | Dark maroon, Pale yellow, Iridescent blue, Mottled gray-brown (underside) | Gray-brown, Tan, Dark brown / black (hind wings), Yellowish (occasionally) |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Acrididae |
| Habitat | Deciduous and mixed woodlands, riparian corridors, parks, orchards and suburban areas with host trees | Dry, open habitats — grasslands, fields, roadsides, sand dunes, disturbed and sparsely vegetated sites |
| Range | Holarctic: widespread across North America (including Alaska and much of Canada), parts of Europe and temperate Asia; occasional vagrants elsewhere. | Widespread across North America, from southern Canada through much of the United States and into northern Mexico |
| Active | Adults are active spring through autumn; single or multiple broods depending on region. Adults are diurnal and most active on warm sunny days. | Late spring through early fall; most common midsummer to early autumn; active during daylight hours |
| Pest? | No | Yes |
🔍How to spot a mourning cloak
- Large wingspan (about 6-8 cm) with uniformly dark maroon-brown upper wings
- Broad pale yellow to cream border along the wing edges with a row of blue spots inside the border
- Underside heavily mottled gray-brown, resembling tree bark when wings are closed
- Rounded wing tips without tails or strong angular projections
🔍How to spot a Carolina grasshopper
- Look for medium-large grasshopper 25-50 mm long with mottled gray-tan body matching dry ground
- Flush the insect; black hind wings with a pale yellowish border are diagnostic in flight
- Short antennae and rounded pronotum without long spines distinguish it from katydids
?Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a mourning cloak and a Carolina grasshopper?
In flight the black, pale-edged hind wings of the Carolina grasshopper can resemble a mourning cloak butterfly, but the grasshopper lands on bare ground and folds its wings, becoming a mottled grey-brown grasshopper; the mourning cloak is a butterfly with maroon-brown wings edged in cream.
Is a mourning cloak or a Carolina grasshopper more dangerous?
Mourning cloak: Non-toxic. Carolina grasshopper: Non-toxic. Mourning cloaks are harmless to people; adults do not bite or sting. Carolina grasshoppers are not venomous or poisonous.
Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.