What happens if a butterfly gets wet?
If a butterfly does get wet, it simply stays still until the water evaporates off their body. Butterflies often bask in the sun to dry their wings. The Zebra Longwing Butterflies, like to find shelter in the company of one another during the evening or periods of rain.
Rain doesn't harm butterflies. They live through storms. But they rarely fly in heavy rain. Instead, they land and wait for the rain to stop and for their bodies to dry before they fly again.
If they do get wet, they simply remain still until the water evaporates off their body. They often bask in the sun to dry their wings.
Chrysalises breathe through holes in their sides, called spiracles. A good wetting will not harm them. Remember that almost every chrysalis experiences rain or dew in nature. When a chrysalis is dehydrated, it colors up, becomes ready to emerge, yet never emerges.
Not only does rain pose a direct threat of injury or death, but the cool air associated with storms may also reduce temperatures below the thermal threshold for butterfly flight. In preparation for flight, these aerial acrobats expose their wings to direct sunlight, which rapidly warms their flight muscles.
Water is essential to a butterfly, and any way it can be offered is good. Ponds, fountains, misters, or birdbaths will supply what rain and morning dew cannot. Here are a few ways to give visiting butterflies a place to stop and sip.
Butterflies don't have to bathe, but they do take sun baths called basking. Different kinds of butterflies bask directly in the sun with their wings open or closed. They do this to raise their body temperature so they can fly.
Zooplanktonic sea butterflies (Limacina helicina) 'fly' underwater using the same technique as tiny flying insects, beating their wings in a figure-of-eight pattern, says a team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Shivering to Warm Muscles
The butterflies move their wings so quickly they're blurry. You can hear the wings fluttering against nearby vegetation. Monarchs shiver to warm their muscles. After shivering, they can crawl and fly at temperatures that would otherwise be too cold.
Where do butterflies go when it rains? A. Butterflies seek the same kinds of shelter in the rain that they would seek at night, when they are also vulnerable. They quickly hide in umbrella-like foliage, in tree hollows, under rocky outcroppings or even in crevices in rocks.
How do you save a butterfly with wet wings?
Should a butterfly fall to the ground and have trouble turning over, hover a piece of paper towel over its legs. The butterfly should cling to the paper towel and pull itself upright. Once the wing are completely dry, they are set and nothing can be done to straighten them.
For a butterfly with a torn wing, you can tape the wing to help it heal. Use a very lightweight, clear tape. Gently hold the butterfly's body with one hand and use the other to place a small piece of tape on one side of the butterfly's wing. This will keep the wing held together and help the butterfly fly again.
Leave the butterfly in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, such as a kitchen counter or on a desk. Once the butterfly is completely dry, remove the pins and paper around the butterfly's wings from your mounting board. Drying time may take longer depending on the size of your butterfly.
Should a butterfly fall to the ground and have trouble turning over, hover a piece of paper towel over its legs. The butterfly should cling to the paper towel and pull itself upright. Once the wing are completely dry, they are set and nothing can be done to straighten them.
It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for a butterfly's wings to completely dry, this is usually varied according to size.
Butterflies don't have to bathe, but they do take sun baths called basking. Different kinds of butterflies bask directly in the sun with their wings open or closed. They do this to raise their body temperature so they can fly.