How long does a peacock butterfly live?

Egg, caterpillar and butterfly

The peacock butterfly can be found in several stages of development. So the small green caterpillars hatch from the eggs laid in spring. They grow and moult several times until they finally pupate. The metamorphosis to the butterfly begins. The individual stages of life of this insect species are of different lengths.

The egg laying

In spring is the wintering of adult butterflies ended. They fly out to collect the first nectar, for example from pussy willows that bloom early. They lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves of the nettles. This is because their caterpillars only feed on this plant.

The "age" of the eggs extends from the laying of the eggs to the hatching of the 3 mm small caterpillars. This is usually the case after about 2-3 weeks.

Peacock caterpillars

At the beginning the caterpillars are green, with vertical stripes. You are developing in giant strides. After several moults and 3-4 weeks later, they are large, black, with white spots. The time has come to pupate. This means that the caterpillars only reach a modest age. The "conversion" to the butterfly begins.

The beginning of the butterfly life

The shell of the pupa is transparent, so the hatching of the butterfly can be observed after two weeks:

• wing drawings are recognizable
• the butterfly tears at predetermined seams
• forces himself out of the cocoon
• the wings are filled with air and blood
• this makes them hard and airworthy

Lifespan of the butterfly

We can see with our own eyes that the peacock butterfly lives the warm time of the year. In autumn all trace of him seems to disappear. But that is deceptive.

• the butterfly has found shelter
• in a cave, tree hole, etc. Ä.
• even in cool rooms of human dwellings

The butterfly survives winter and mates in spring. Its lifespan is therefore at least one year. In particularly advantageous Habitats it can also be an age of max. two years.