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 Q: How long do butterflies live?
A: The average butterfly lives two to three weeks. Some butterflies
live only a day or two and a few species live up to ten months.
Q: How does the zoo train the caterpillar to spin their cocoons
or chrysalis on the tree or in the emergence boxes?
A: We don’t! The zoo buys the cocoons or chrysalis and
glues them on the tree and onto the sticks in the emergence boxes.
New chrysalis and cocoons will be added weekly throughout the
summer.
Q: Where does the zoo buy the butterflies and moths?
A: We purchase our collection from butterfly farmers in Texas,
Tennessee and Florida who raise them specifically for exhibit
purposes.
Q: How much do the butterflies and moths
cost and how often are they added to the exhibit?
The individuals cost $3.50 to
$5.00 each. We usually add up to 300 chrysalis and/or cocoons
per week.
Q: Why don’t the butterflies
or moths fly right after emerging?
A: After
the butterfly or moth emerges from its chrysalis/cocoon the abdomen
is very fat. The butterfly or moth pumps fluid from the abdomen
to the wings. The fluid fills the veins and the wings are shaped.
It takes an hour for the wings to take shape. The wings then
need to dry for about 2 hours before the butterfly can fly. If
the wings do not expand properly or are injured when drying the
butterfly will not fly!
Q: What happens to butterflies and moths in the winter?
A: Butterflies can survive over winter in the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis
and adult stage. In Minnesota the butterfly flies away, die,
or hibernate. For example the mourning cloak and the red admiral
butterflies hibernate as an adult allowing them to mate very
early in the spring.
Q: Why doesn’t the Zoo release
their butterflies?
A: There is a potential threat of spreading disease to the wild
populations of butterflies. Parasites are present in he natural
population, which are not a problem until there is captive
breeding at high densities. When the apparently healthy butterflies
are released, they can act as carriers and spread disease.
The parasite may not show up for several generations, so diseased
butterflies may be released before the discovery of a harmful
parasite. “Farmed” butterflies from other states
are also genetically different from our native wild butterflies.
Releasing farmed-raised butterflies could therefore change,
or “muddy” the genetics of our local population,
which would not be beneficial.
Q: What is the difference between a moth and a butterfly?
A: Look at the antennae. Butterflies have skinny antenna with
knobs at the end. Moths have feathery antennae or skinny ones
without knobs. Butterflies usually fly in the daytime and moths
fly at night. Butterflies have long slender body and moths
have fat, often fuzzy bodies.
Q: Do butterflies see color?
A: Yes, and so much more. Butterflies not only see the colors
we do they also see ultraviolet colors. Ultraviolet colors
are often the difference between male and female. Males have
more ultraviolet reflectance on their scales. The ultraviolet
colors of flowers help to attract butterflies.
Q: Does Minnesota have a state butterfly?
A: Yes, the Monarch is Minnesota’s state butterfly.
Q: Does the monarch butterfly really fly to Mexico and back
to Minnesota?
A: Yes and no, the Monarch flying in your garden does make it
to Mexico, but this individual butterfly does not return from
Mexico to Minnesota. In July, the monarch begins the 3,000 to
4,000 miles trip to warmer weather. They have been known to fly
100 miles a day and reach speeds up to 30 m.p.h. The average
flight speed is 10 m.p.h. In February the monarch begins the
trip north. The females stop to lay eggs on milkweed plants along
the way and then die. This first generation lives 6 to 9 months.
The second and third generations live 6 weeks and the fourth
generation returns to Minnesota. They produce the 5th generation,
which makes the trip to Mexico.
Q: What is the life cycle of the Monarch?
A: The monarch butterfly egg hatches in 4 to 5 days. The baby
caterpillar is about the size of a grain of rice. The caterpillar
eats and eats for 2 weeks. In 2 weeks it is 2700 times its
original size. Week 3 the caterpillar spins a silk pad on a
leaf or branch, it attaches itself to the pad and hangs upside
down. The caterpillar’s striped skin will change gradually
into the emerald green chrysalis. In 9 to 10 days the green
colored chrysalis fades, leaving a see-through chrysalis. In
about 2 weeks after the chrysalis is formed the butterfly splits
it open and climbs out.
Q: What is the smallest and largest butterfly?
A: The smallest butterfly is the western pygmy blue. With its
wings open, it would take 3 Western Pygmy Blues to cover a
dime! The largest butterfly is the Queen Alexandra Birdwing,
with a wing span of 8 inches.
Q: Are butterflies endangered?
A: Some butterflies are endangered, some are already extinct
due to the loss of natural habitat. How can we help? Put plants
in your garden that caterpillar can munch on and butterflies
can drink from. Encourage your city not to cut down milkweed
or other native plants along highways and in park areas. Take
a picture of a butterfly rather than capturing it.
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