![]() Caterpillars would starve because the host plants had been eaten and they could not become adult butterflies.Īs we think of the most popular butterfly, the Monarch, can you imagine how much milkweed 48,000,000 caterpillars would eat? It would not take long for that species of butterflies to become extinct. This huge number of caterpillars would decimate all the particular host plants for most species within one to two generations. They are the plants that caterpillars MUST eat to survive. Why?įirst, host plants are essential for caterpillars. It is already beyond the realm of possibility. But let’s do numbers for areas where butterflies can go through only 3 generations per year.Īre you ready for the reason why nature’s habit of killing so many eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalises is a good thing?Ĥ00 eggs each x 3 female butterflies = 1,200 butterflies (assume they are half male, half female).Ĥ00 eggs each x 600 female butterflies = 240,000 butterflies (assume they are half male, half female).Ĥ00 eggs each x 120,000 female butterflies = 48,000,000 butterflies (assume they are half male, half female). I’m in north Florida where most species can go through 8 or so generations per year. Finally, let’s suppose each butterfly continued the cycle of life generation after generation. Continue supposing that half were female and half were male. Assume that the 3 females each laid 400 eggs and all 400 eggs survived and become adult butterflies. Pretend that there were 6 butterflies of your favorite species flying in your yard, 3 were male and 3 were female, let’s go with the total survival scenario. ![]() Why must nature be so deadly? If every egg lived to become adult butterflies and half of the eggs were female, what would happen if all laid an average of 400 eggs and all survived to become adults? ![]() In spite of the fact that nature has a reason for killing so many before they lay eggs, we do our best to help butterflies fight these terrible odds and work to increase butterfly populations. These deaths are caused by predators, disease, herbicides, weather, parasitoids, insecticides, and more.Īs upsetting as this low survival rate is to many butterfly gardeners and enthusiasts, it is actually necessary in nature. All three pre-adult stages suffer great losses as they are laid, hatch, grow, pupate, and mature in chrysalis/pupa. Nature kills about 98% before they become adults. Out of those 400 butterfly eggs, only about 8 live to become adult butterflies. In general, 400 eggs can be laid by one adult butterfly or moth.
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