The winter butterfly
The Red Admiral is one of the few species of butterfly to overwinter in Britain as an adult. I've been mugging up on why I am still seeing an occasional Red Admiral even after some very cold days.
Apparently species like Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone and Comma lie "dormant". Technically this is not "hibernation" as that involves a slow down in both breathing and heart rates, plus the body temperature would also be lowered. Meanwhile, WikiWhoKnowsAlmost Everything, describes "dormancy" as a period when growth, development, and most physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps conserve energy.
However, according to Butterfly Conservation, the Red Admiral doesn’t even become properly "dormant" as it becomes active on any warmer and sunnier days. So this explains why I am still occasionally seeing this particular species but no other butterfly!
The winter butterfly
The Red Admiral is one of the few species of butterfly to overwinter in Britain as an adult. I've been mugging up on why I am still seeing an occasional Red Admiral even after some very cold days.
Apparently species like Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone and Comma lie "dormant". Technically this is not "hibernation" as that involves a slow down in both breathing and heart rates, plus the body temperature would also be lowered. Meanwhile, WikiWhoKnowsAlmost Everything, describes "dormancy" as a period when growth, development, and most physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps conserve energy.
However, according to Butterfly Conservation, the Red Admiral doesn’t even become properly "dormant" as it becomes active on any warmer and sunnier days. So this explains why I am still occasionally seeing this particular species but no other butterfly!