A butterfly is an insect known for its large, beautifully patterned, colorful wings. They are also known for their four-stage life cycle. Butterflies lay eggs that hatch into larvae, or caterpillars as they are commonly called. Once the caterpillar has eaten its fill of the plant’s leaves, it enters the pupal stage, where it spins itself into a pupa. In the chrysalis, the caterpillar is undergoing a metamorphosis, emerging from the chrysalis to become a butterfly. Butterflies are often a symbol of spring and summer. However, it is difficult to see butterflies in winter. Where do butterflies go in winter?
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Where do butterflies go in cold weather?
Where do butterflies go in winter? Each species answers this question slightly differently. However, these winged insects have some common winter behaviors.
migrating to warmer weather
Perhaps the most famous migratory butterfly is the monarch butterfly. In North America, monarch butterflies from the eastern Rocky Mountains fly all the way to the state of Michoacan, on the southern coast of Mexico. These orange and black butterflies start their migration in August and reach Michoacan in November. Monarch butterflies west of the Rocky Mountains head to the California coast. Because of their short lifespan, migration back to their breeding grounds can take up to two generations, although they do complete their journey back to Mexico within a single generation. As widely known as this species’ journey is, it’s actually quite rare. According to biologists, most types of butterflies stay put and don’t migrate in winter.
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live in a warm climate
Some butterflies simply live in warmer climates and don’t need to do anything at all during the winter. Examples of species that stay put include the buckeye butterfly and the painted lady butterfly. However, once the temperature drops, these butterflies die.
hibernate
Some butterfly species have a period of hibernation during their life cycle. These species of butterflies contain a chemical called ethylene glycol that acts as an antifreeze in their blood, preventing them from freezing to death in temperatures as low as zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Horse chestnuts, for example, lay their eggs on leaves or branches. These eggs are designed to withstand the winter weather. Once the temperature rises, the larvae hatch near a food source: leaves!
Still others hibernate in leafy debris at the bottom of trees, in seed pods, under rocks, or in the soil during the caterpillar stage. When a caterpillar hibernates it is called diapause. During diapause, their metabolism slows down significantly and all non-essential functions cease. When the caterpillars emerge in the spring, they begin to feed and prepare for the pupal stage. According to experts, most hibernating butterflies hibernate in the larval (caterpillar) stage.
Other butterfly species, such as swallowtails, spend the winter comfortably in their chrysalis, emerging in spring. Generally, butterflies in the chrysalis stop developing over the winter. However, once temperatures warm up, they resume development and emerge from their winter homes like butterflies.
Some butterfly species, like the mourning cape, hibernate as adults. They burrow into loose bark or crevices of logs like caterpillars and enter diapause. They appear when the temperature rises.
Indulge in winter
There is one species of moth, the winter moth, which is most active during winter as an adult! Females of this unique species emerge and climb a tree after the first frost of the year (they cannot fly). The males then fly around to find their mate and fertilize her eggs, which hatch in early spring.
How to Help Butterflies Survive Winter
Did you know you can actually help butterflies survive the winter? How you landscape your yard in fall and winter can make a difference, experts say. Having a butterfly-friendly yard will reward you in the form of beautiful winged friends on the first warm days of spring. Here are some tips to follow when creating a butterfly-friendly environment:
- Avoid raking dead leaves in fall. This provides a place for the larvae to hide in the winter.
- Instead of clearing dead plants in the garden until spring, let them overwinter for more larval protection.
- Do not use pesticides.
- Do not disturb pupae that you find in your shed or garage. They sometimes look like dead material, but what’s inside is very alive!
- Do some research. Find out which butterflies live in your area and how they spend the winter. You can then plant butterfly-friendly plants to create a butterfly haven for winter in your own yard.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
