How Long Do Butterflies Live?

Scientists usually study butterfly lifespans by marking them, and then either recapturing or observing them later. Researchers can also estimate a butterfly’s age by the condition of its wings. All butterflies have scales covering their wings that they lose over time. Scientists can estimate the age of a butterfly by how many scales are missing. While butterflies can be studied in captivity, studying them in the wild gives researchers more accurate information about a butterfly’s lifespan. Keep reading to find out more about the life of a butterfly.

The Butterfly Lifespan

Most butterfly species only live for a few weeks. The exceptions are migratory species, such as monarch butterflies, mourning cloaks, and painted ladies, which can live as long as 10 months. In general, smaller butterflies do not live as long as larger ones. Some of the smallest butterflies may only live a few days.

While butterflies that live in captivity still have relatively short lifespans, they will almost always far outlive their natural life expectancies. This is because they have access to ample nutrients as caterpillars, a safe environment as pupae, and a controlled, predator-free environment as adults.

The Life Cycle Of A Butterfly

The life cycle of the butterfly consists of four stages. This includes the egg stage, the caterpillar or larval stage, the pupa or chrysalis stage, and the adult butterfly stage. Most butterflies lay eggs in spring, summer, or fall, depending on the climate and the species. In warmer climates, researchers have found that there are continuous generations producing butterflies all year long.

The Egg Stage

A mother butterfly lays her eggs on a plant that will provide proper nutrition for the larvae when they hatch. Because so many eggs are lost to predators and disease, female butterflies will lay hundreds of eggs at once. The eggs typically hatch somewhere between a few days to a few weeks. Only one or two out of every hundred eggs make it to the larval stage.

The Caterpillar (Larval) Stage

A caterpillar’s entire existence revolves around eating as much as possible to store up calories for the coming phase. The caterpillar may grow up to 100 times its original size during this phase. They have tough exoskeletons, so they must molt and shed their skin many times as they continue to grow. On average, caterpillars live in this stage for up to five weeks, depending on the species.

The Chrysalis (Pupa) Stage

When a caterpillar is fully grown and no longer needs to eat, it begins this transitional phase of its life. A few species of butterfly will spin a silk cocoon, but the majority will simply anchor themselves to a safe place and harden into a chrysalis.

How long this stage lasts can vary significantly among different butterfly species. Some may only remain in a chrysalis for a couple of weeks, but others, particularly those that overwinter, can stay in this state for several months. During this transitional stage, the larva inside of the chrysalis almost completely liquefies, and special cells that were dormant activate to transform the caterpillar into its final adult form.

The Adult Stage

When the adult butterfly emerges from its protective shell, it takes to the air. Adult butterflies have a long, tube-like mouth called a proboscis that they use to drink liquids such as nectar, rotting fruit, and tree sap. They need the carbohydrates to fly, mate, and reproduce. Most of the butterfly’s short time as an adult is spent searching for a mate. Once mated, the female produces its clutch of eggs to start the cycle all over again.