While we (humans) might think it's too hot, the butterflies love it and actually need it. In fact, butterflies can't even fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees Fahrenheit!
Butterflies are very active when temperatures range between 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit. At the other end of the spectrum, when temperatures drop too low, butterflies cannot contract the muscles that allow them to fly. Typically, temperatures have to be at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit to enable most butterflies to fly.
Generally speaking, high temperatures and lots of sunshine provide perfect conditions for adult butterflies to get on with their lives, finding mates, visiting flowers, dispersing to new areas and, most importantly, laying eggs.
Although some species of butterflies will live through freezing temperatures, they do not fly when it is cold. If they are wet in freezing temperatures, they will die.
Butterflies are cold-blooded, meaning they cannot regulate their own body temperature. As a result, their body temperature changes with the temperature of their surroundings. If they get too cold, they are unable to fly and must warm up their muscles in order to resume flight.
"Most people don't realize that insects get stressed in much the same way as vertebrates do," said Davis, an assistant research scientist in the Odum School of Ecology.
In spirituality, butterflies often represent change, transformation, hope, and your inner self. A loved one, angel, or spirit guide may be trying to send you a message of hope or peace if a butterfly lands on you.
Some enter diapause , freeze, and live through temperatures well below 32 degrees F. Butterflies can fly and feed safely in temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Like all insects, their bodies contain chemical compounds known as glycols , which help them endure cold weather.
How long does a butterfly live? The life span of a butterfly varies between species. Small species may live for several days whilst other species of butterflies may live for a few months. The species we have on display have an average life span of 4 weeks.
Unlike their light sensors, butterflies detect temperature through their internal metabolism (Forster et al., 2011). As temperature increases, metabolism is quickened. Faster metabolism causes a faster metamorphosis phase, which can result in physical changes due to this accelerated growth stage (Forster et al., 2011).
Afternoons: Afternoons are typically the hottest part of the day, and therefore the time when our butterflies tend to be very active.
September is a peak time for butterflies, especially after last winter, which seems to have decimated spring and summer butterfly numbers in our area. Butterflies are almost guaranteed to linger in your garden into autumn and even winter if their larval (caterpillar) food plants are available.
Summer is peak butterfly season with warm, sunny weather that sends colorful sulphurs, monarchs and swallowtails flitting through our gardens. But you might be surprised to know that there's some significant butterfly activity in every season. Take a look at what you might expect to see throughout the year.
It must be at least 16 degrees Celsius or 65 degrees Fahrenheit in order for the butterflies to fly.
They sleep under leaves to hide from predators. However, butterflies with warning colours may be less hidden whilst they sleep to deter predators. During this time, the butterfly's body will enter a low metabolic state and will become inactive.
It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for a butterfly's wings to completely dry, this is usually varied according to size. After the wings have dried but before the butterfly will take its first flight it will dispel the excess meconium from its body.
Butterfly Facts
The average life of a butterfly is around two weeks, but some species can live over 11 months such as the Mourning Cloak (a North American butterfly). In Australia, the Monarch Butterfly can live up to 8 months in winter, and the Blue Tiger Butterfly can live up to six months.
Butterflies don't sleep like people do, but many species do take a rest in groups, a behavior called "roosting." Some may pause for just a night, while others roost for the entire winter season. Roosting together helps protect butterflies from predators and preserves energy for long migrations.
They pollinate plants in your garden
When they do this their bodies collect pollen and carry it to other plants. This helps fruits, vegetables and flowers to produce new seeds. The majority of plants need pollinators like bees and butterflies to reproduce.
Ideal Temperatures
Interior greenhouse temperatures typically range between 70 - 85 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the species of butterflies being raised. Butterflies require fresh air so vents are required.
Adult monarchs feed on the nectar from flowers, which contain sugars and other nutrients. Unlike the larvae that only eat milkweeds, adult monarchs feed on a wide variety of nectar bearing flowers. They will visit many different kinds of flowers in their search for food.
Many species will spend less than a week undergoing metamorphosis, but most will emerge as a butterfly within about three weeks. Some butterflies may wait as long as three years to leave chrysalis, but this has less to do with the rigors of the metamorphosis and more to do with the environment around them.
Different Native American tribes interpret butterflies in their own way, but generally, they're thought to represent change and transformation, comfort, hope, and positivity. While some believed ancestors communicated through butterflies, others took the presence of these creatures as a joyous or hopeful sign.
What is this? If a butterfly appears to you in a dream and dies in front of you it is giving you the sign that you need to be strong and break free from whatever is causing you to feel trapped. It is important to know that you can and should reach out to those around you or support during this time.
While touching a butterfly's wings may not kill it immediately, it could potentially speed up the fading of the colors on the butterfly's wings, wiping out patterns that are used to protect the butterfly from predators. Touching the butterfly's wings could potentially result in a shorter than expected life.