Tucked Away for Winter

Butterflies and bugs make themselves at home nestled under leaves or hidden beneath tree bark in the backyard. 

- Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman

Monarchs perform one of the most famous migrations in the world, but not all of their fellow fliers escape to the south. Most butterflies and most other insects don’t migrate. They’re hidden in the landscape in various stages of their life cycles for the winter months. Here’s how and where some of your favorite backyard guests withstand the chilly weather.

Survival Skills

Butterflies and other bugs use various mechanisms to make it through the brutally cold months. They slow their metabolisms way down in a process called diapause. Certain chemicals in their bodies act as antifreeze. And they rid their bodies of nearly all water to avoid turning into an ice crystal.

Life Stages