Butterflies

[sherrardk]

I have had two butterflies just hanging out on the ceiling for weeks and now they have both moved (one is on the outside of a pair of curtains, don't know where the oth one is yet). What are they doing? I thought butterflies just died and we got new ones each year. Thanks for any insight.

[Prudie]

Some of them survive the winter if they can find somewhere warm to live, like on a pair of curtains!

[Nibble]

They're overwintering indoors.

[sherrardk]

The one that is on the curtains is at squishing height now, can't see it lasting long (maybe it will get fed up of the curtains being opened and closed and move somewhere safer). Thanks for your answers though.

[tonyav]

Hey sherrardk, hope it isn't a moth having a munch on your curtains !

[sherrardk]

No, I have had a close-up look at the one that moved today and it is a butterfly (or a moth impersonating a butterfly).

[tonyav]

Good, no holes have appeared in the curtains then.

[gen2]

Many Vanessid butterflies overwinter as hibernating adults (eg. Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma). As yours are inside your house, it may be too warm for them to properly hibernate and they may not survive. Ideally, they want somewhere that is frost free but cold enough that their metabolism reduces to a minimum. They are most often found in garden sheds.

The ones that I have most often encountered in winter were small tortoiseshells

[Tilly2]

We seem to have a lot of butterflies in our garage. It's lovely when they wake up in the Spring and we open the door and let them out.

[mazie]

I don't admit this very often...BUT, I hate butterflies

[sherrardk]

I hate blackbirds if that makes you feel any better - can't stand those bright yellow beaks and evil eyes.