How the peacock butterfly hibernates »Interesting facts about winter quarters

Escape from the frost

The habitat this species of butterfly extends over all of Europe and Asia, with the exception of the northern regions. The peacock butterfly needs a protective hiding place where the winters are frosty. In the wild it can be a cave, for example, or a hole in the Tree trunk. If human dwellings are not far away, they too are accepted as winter quarters. Such as:

• garage
• basement, cellar
• Attic
• Stairwell
• Garden shed

A frozen butterfly

If you spot a peacock butterfly in your home, it is likely to be clinging motionless to a wall. The butterfly falls in at temperatures below 12 ° C Numbness. Just leave the butterfly alone. The winter rigor does not end until March, when the first nectar of the year lures him into the garden. Then a little window should be open so that he can go out.

Early awakening

If the butterfly has lost its way into a warm room and does not come out, it threatens death. It flutters around, consuming energy in the process, but cannot find any food. This also applies in the event that you move the peacock butterfly into a warm room with good intent.

The precious butterfly has to find a cool, but frost-free roost as quickly as possible. Do not release the butterfly outside when the temperature is below zero. It will probably die before it finds a new shelter.

Save the butterfly

1. Get a small cardboard box.
2. Cut a small hole in it for the butterfly to pass through. It has a wing span of about 50 mm. He can leave the box through the hole in spring. But first the hole has to remain closed until spring.
3. Carefully catch the butterfly.
4. Move the box to a place that is ideal for its wintering.
5. In severe winters, make sure that the temperature in the wintering quarters does not drop below 0 ° C.
6. As soon as it gets warmer outside, the room must also offer an opening to leave.