How long does butterfly flying store energy

Monarch butterflies, for example, can endure up to five months without food during their overwintering period in Mexico. This extended survival is possible due to specialized physiological adaptations that drastically reduce their metabolic rate, allowing them to subsist on stored. Flying takes a lot of energy, and to get this energy, butterflies drink the nectar from flowers, which require the power of flight to reach. Control and steering are managed by subtle, independent adjustments of the forewings and hindwings. The lilting, fluttering flight of a butterfly evokes whimsy rather than efficiency or purpose, but a new study reveals the mechanics of the insect’s less than linear flight pattern and suggests it may help them evade predators, reports Matt McGrath for BBC News.