Home Info When Do Tortoiseshell Butterflies Hibernate?

When Do Tortoiseshell Butterflies Hibernate?

by Trevor E Holewinski

Many people wonder whether tortoiseshell butterflies hibernation during winter. It’s true that these insects have a winter life cycle, but what does this mean for their owners? First of all, it means that they can’t survive winter in a house! The best thing you can do is to re-house your butterfly when it’s in your house. This will prevent the butterfly from being disturbed, but it’s also important to release it outside during the warmer months.

When Do Tortoiseshell Butterflies Hibernate? photo 1

The Small Tortoiseshell butterfly has a wingspan of 68-72 millimetres, and a female’s wingspan is 70-75 millimetres. They have red wings with yellow and black patches, and they feed on nettle. The adult life cycle takes four weeks, from egg to pupa. These caterpillars can be found in temperate Europe and Asia Minor, and they hibernate over the winter.

When Do Tortoiseshell Butterflies Hibernate? photo 2

The Adult Tortoiseshell butterfly has a wingspan of 72-75 millimetres, and the species has a similar lifespan. Their eggs are laid in groups of three to six and feed on nettle and weeds. They feed on nettles, such as black nettle, and their life cycle lasts about 4 weeks. Once they are fully-grown, the Tortoiseshell butterfly will fly away to hibernate in an outbuilding, but it will not be as long as it took to hatch.

When Do Tortoiseshell Butterflies Hibernate? photo 3

If you want to watch tortoiseshell butterflies, try watching them hibernate. This is the best time to see them. They’ll be most active in July, right before Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count, and you can spot them from many parts of England. If you live in a temperate climate, you may be lucky enough to spot some of them! You’ll be amazed at how fast they grow!

When does tortoiseshell butterflies hibernation occur? It’s believed that they’ll hibernate during mid-July, right before the Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count. This is a major reason why some species don’t hibernate during the winter season. The only way to see them is to watch them in the springtime. Then, they’ll begin to emerge and start laying eggs.

The Tortoiseshell butterfly’s life cycle is short, lasting only about four weeks from egg to adult. Most species of tortoiseshells hibernate indoors. They’ll stay inside the house until springtime, when the weather is warmer. The adults will be back in mid-July, and they’ll emerge in the spring. If you can’t find them anywhere, you’ll have to wait until the butterfly is on the wing and see if you can find it.

The Compton Tortoiseshell butterfly overwinters inside houses. They come inside during the late summer and early autumn to get shelter from cold weather. They need cool, sheltered conditions to survive the winter. Heat from Christmas heating can result in premature awaking of the butterfly. During this period, nectar is scarce and the temperatures inside the house are too high for them to survive.

As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This site also participates in various other affiliate programs, and we may get a commission through purchases made through our links. Please read our complete Disclosures and Privacy Policy for more information.