Butterflies in winter

Community and Forum → Insects biology and faunistics → Butterflies in winter

Oleg Nikolsky, 08.02.2013 19:38

Today I met with an unusual phenomenon. Winter overcast misty day with a thaw, moderate VSW wind, +2 degrees, sometimes drizzling rain, everything around is covered with deep - knee-deep-wet snow. I'm walking along the county highway, and the road comes out of the copse and crosses a large field with a radius of at least 1 kilometer. Approximately in the center of this field on the snow on the side of the highway reclines (i.e. tries to sit upright, but the wind knocks sideways) a live daytime peacock's eye Nymphalis io (there were countless of them in the summer of 2012). He took it in his hands, actively moves his paws, tries to flap his wings. While carrying it to the next copse in a closed palm, I warmed up, began to actively try to crawl out into the gap between my fingers. I planted it on the bark of a large oak tree. In the 60s of the last century, there were several warm winters, and flying butterflies could be found both in January and February, but it was noticeably warmer, ~6-7 degrees. Quite regularly observed butterflies in March, when the spring sun
warmed the places of their hiding place. But in such weather as today (and it lasts for more than a week, without a single ray of sun) - for the first time. I can't explain how the butterfly ended up in the snow except because it spent the winter in some car, and when it went, it warmed up from the engine heat and wanted to fly.

city of Bryansk.

Comments

Likes: 1

02.03.2013 13:48, Guest

Interestingly, and bvbochki in April - is it young or last year's? In the photos - lemongrass Gonepteryx rhamni on the first spring flowers and mourning Nymphalis antiopa (pictures taken on April 21, 2012 in the Bryansk region). Judging by the shabby appearance, some of the Gonepteryx rhamni are clearly from last year. But for Nymphalis antiopa - it is not clear (by the way, the light band along the edge of the inner surface of the wings in spring antiop is always whiter than in summer). shastik, can you clarify the situation?

Wintering area.... I do not think that the shade of the strip can say something. yes, and by the size, too, it is difficult to say from which generation the butterfly is....
I don't pay any attention to it at all.
but according to the photo, if the mourning box is well preserved for last year's one....