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Nature is full of beautiful surprises. The beauty sometimes goes unappreciated, or sometimes cannot be appreciated in time. Butterflies are often considered a symbol of beauty in the world. Belonging to the class Insecta, butterflies have quite a bit of variety in them. In fact, there are 5000 species of butterflies, each with its own compositions, and by derivation, different lifespans.
What determines the lifespan of a species varies drastically. A general rule of thumb to identify the life span of a butterfly would be its size. Smaller butterflies tend to have a shorter life span as compared to larger butterflies. On an average, however, butterflies live for about a month, or four weeks.
The most popular species of butterfly is the monarch butterfly, which lives for about six weeks. However, butterflies undergo quite the transformation before they are called a butterfly, and the process is called metamorphosis. It is a four-stage process that usually lasts for about a month.
The first stage of metamorphosis is the egg. Adult butterflies lay eggs, somewhere between one and 250 eggs, on predominantly green surfaces. The eggs can be either round or oval in shape, and this stage lasts about 3-4 days. Following that, the eggs hatch to give rise to a larva, or commonly known as a caterpillar.
The caterpillar stage is where most of the growing happens. They eat through their shells and continue to the leaves, trying to imbibe some nutrition into their body. The caterpillar grows by shedding layers of its skin and increasing in size. This stage lasts approximately 10 to 15 days.
As the skin cells shed, the outer layer of the larvae starts to harden, and they begin creating a shell of their own. At this stage, they are called a pupa, and the shell is called a cocoon. Usually, such cocoons are found on leaves or hanging from trees and are not mobile, like a caterpillar or butterfly. They are typically stuck and continue with their growth. This stage also lasts around 10 to 14 days.
Soon, the cocoons slowly cracks, and out pops the majestic Monarch butterfly, taken as a reference here. These butterflies, on average, live for about four to five months. However, it ultimately depends on the climatic conditions of the place as well. Some sub streaks of Monarch butterflies tend to migrate to colder climates and undergo a process that resembles hibernation.
Normally, adult butterflies do not grow. Once they are out of the cocoon, all they have to do is nourish themselves for existence. In that process, they usually use nectar from flowers as their primary source of nourishment. However, in colder climates, their bodies tend to shut down, leaving their body requirements at an all-time low. Using that to their advantage, these butterflies continue to live on for another eight to nine months.
The climate and environment also play a significant role in how long butterflies can live. Usually, butterflies in the wild have to deal with predators like birds, lizards, monkeys, spiders, and others, making it difficult for them to survive longer. The ones that are captive or live in urban or semi-urban settings tend to live much longer.
Sometimes, the life span of a butterfly gets extended in the growth stages itself, owing to climatic conditions. Butterflies are cold-blooded insects, by nature. Taking that into consideration, how climate affects growth, and not just survival is crucial. Butterfly eggs need warmer weather to hatch, as the temperature difference is what the growing larva needs. That way, the growth span of a butterfly can increase by a solid six to seven months.
Another critical factor that plays into changing the lifespan of butterflies is the migratory pattern of different species and subspecies. Several species of butterflies live in the temperate regions and need to travel down south or north, depending on their body requirements. Some species of butterflies move from Midwestern America to the warmer states of California. In contrast, other species of butterflies, also from Midwestern America, either move eastwards towards New York or north towards Alaska and Canada. The migration pattern helps with building the ideal temperature for the eggs to hatch, like in the case of the Monarch butterflies, which see multiple generations in the same year, or like in the case of Morpho or Battus butterflies move towards winter dormancy as stated earlier in the article.
However, even under the same species, not all generations tend to migrate. Once a parent generation decides to stick around at a particular climate zone, a few more generations prosper in the same region. They take full advantage of the viable conditions they are provided. However, the migration provides a better opportunity for growth and development for these butterflies, and that is usually why the migratory generation lives much longer than the earlier generation, with a significant gap of two to three months.
Butterflies have a significant number of natural predators, but more so as larvae. Larvae tend to be highly nutritious due to their growing conditions and serve as food for larger insects and animals like frogs, praying mantis, etc. Adding to that, the wings of butterflies are somewhat fragile and can get easily damaged. Fast-flowing winds, rubber tree gums, or bad weather tend to take a physical toll on the wings, rendering them difficult to take flight. Even though they can still fly with damaged wings, the high winds can push them off to unfavorable climates, which might be detrimental to their wellbeing.
To summarize, a butterfly can live anywhere between one week to 9 months or slightly more. The smaller the species, the shorter the lifespan.
Every beautiful thing in the world has a well-determined lifespan. Butterflies are no exception to this rule. With their vibrant colors, they add just a little bit of spark in our lives, and all we can do is enjoy them for the moment.
If you fancy a flawless and timeless Monarch, why not browsing our butterfly necklaces?
