Where Do Butterflies Go in the Winter?

 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on crabapple

Are you seeing butterflies now? Where were they over the winter? Why some and not others? I was inspired to research and write this post because this week I found two caterpillars of the Red-spotted Purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) on a potted black cherry tree (Prunus serotina) that lives on my driveway (for lack of finding a better home). This butterfly species can overwinter two ways: in a chrysalis or as a partially grown caterpillar that constructs a tightly shaped leaf tube called hibernacula in which to spend the winter.

Red-spotted Purple on black cherry this week

How do most Georgia butterflies overwinter? It varies by species and they can overwinter as adults (migratory behavior), as pupae (in a chrysalis), as larvae (caterpillar), or as eggs. 

I looked up some of the more common ones that I see to compare their different strategies that evolution has worked out for them. For those of you who have heard the message about “leaving the leaves,” take note of how many of these beauties overwinter in leaves as pupae, larvae, or eggs.

Swallowtails are some of our earliest butterflies - the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, our state butterfly - is one the first that I see each year. They (and other swallowtails like Spicebush, Zebra, Eastern Black, Pipevine) overwinter as a chrysalis right in our landscapes (be careful about cleaning up!) so they are ready to emerge when flowers and host plants are available to them.

Monarch – This well-known butterfly famously migrates south and overwinters as an adult in reproductive diapause (so it lives longer and doesn't try to breed during that time).

Gulf Fritillary – This one flies south, overwinters as adult in warmer areas; I've linked my earlier blog about finding thousands of these in Florida.

Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) – This pale yellow butterfly also flies south, overwintering as an adult in warmer areas; I usually don't see it again until the summer red flowers are blooming.

Cloudless Sulphur

Pearl Crescent

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) – The partially grown caterpillars stop eating (larvae) and find shelter in a curled leaf.  There they remain in diapause until spring, when eating resumes.

American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) – I didn't realize these went south until I researched it. They overwinter as an adult in warmer areas.

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)  – Another surprise for me: they overwinter as an adult in warmer areas.

Spring and Summer Azures (Celastrina) – Both of these overwinter in our landscape in chrysalis (pupae) form.

Mourning cloak – Adults spend winter months in hiding spots, sheltered from the elements.  They emerge on warm days to search for energy sources that include sap flows or carrion.

Question Mark – These overwinter as adult butterflies and often fly in early spring on warm days. Their underwing resembles a dried leaf, giving them extra camouflage.

Question Mark

American Snout

American Snout – Late fall adults enter diapause during winter months and resume activity the following spring, as early as mid-February

Hairstreaks – In general, these species overwinter as eggs or larvae in leaf litter.

Silver-spotted Skipper

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) – This large skipper overwinters as chrysalis (pupae).

Fiery Skipper – These little ones go south for the winter but other skippers have different behaviors.

If you love butterflies and want to have them in your yard, be sure to plant host plants for them. This brochure is a great resource in Georgia.

The Red-spotted Purple