Most people take butterflies for granted. They may also not care about the long journey a butterfly has past before ever taking off with their wings. Nevertheless, in case of the Purple Hairstreak (Neozephyrus quercus) it takes almost a year before the butterfly has completed the metamorphosis. The adult butterfly will live a couple weeks, copulate, lay eggs and die.
Following the metamorphosis close by means a lot of work. Most likely, the butterflies need to be raised with a lot of care. Dealing with the Purple Hairstreak, the eggs need to be searched and found in autumn. After that, these eggs need to be stored for hibernation. This phase may take up to 8 months. In spring, the tiny caterpillars will hatch. In summer, finally, the butterflies will hatch and show their beauty.
