How long do butterflies live?

On average, a butterfly lives about a month. However, the time can vary greatly between species, and females tend to live longer than males. It's extremely unusual for a butterfly of any species to live longer than a year.

The monarch butterfly, which is known for its long migration, can live six months or longer. The painted lady, another butterfly that is known for making a long journey, only lives two to four weeks. Coppers and blues, which are tiny butterflies, only live a few days.

The butterfly with the longest lifespan appears to be the mourning cloak, a butterfly with velvety maroon-black wings edged with gold. It can live up to a year.