The little flyer, which buzzes from flower to flower and sucks on the nectar with its long proboscis, looks like a hummingbird. But it is actually a migratory butterfly that comes from the Mediterranean region and is now spending the winter in this country more and more often.
Can pigeontails overwinter in Germany?
Pigeontails can overwinter successfully in mild, frost-free regions. They look for frost-free shelters such as hollow trees, cellars or attics and go into winter torpor. They should not be disturbed or taken to warm rooms.
Immigration in the month of April
The pigeontail, scientifically Macroglossa stellatarum, is originally native to the Mediterranean region. If there is strong competition for food due to mass reproduction, many specimens develop an enormous wandering instinct.
With small stops to refuel with nectar, pigeontails manage to cover more than 1,000 km in just one week. Every year from April onwards they can also be found north of the Alps. As a rule, you only stay for the summer and head home well before the onset of winter.
Note:Although the pigeontail comes from the nightjar family, it can also be seen flying from flower to flower during the day.
More and more pigeontails are becoming permanent guests
It is increasingly observed that not every pigeon-tailed bird makes its way home, but instead overwinters with us. Experts suspect that this is due to global warming, which is causing some regions to have increasingly mild winters.
The lifespan of a pigeontail is only four to five months, but several generations follow each year. Greenish caterpillars hatch from the eggs laid in the garden, followed by butterflies in the further development stage.
Search for wintering grounds
The approximately 4 cm tall adult animals cannot tolerate sub-zero temperatures and therefore have to look for frost-free winter shelter in autumn. A hollow tree is welcome for them, but so is a dark cellar.
Spotted pigeontails in winter
What should you do if a pigeon tail is spotted somewhere in your own four walls?Most of the time it will hide in the basement or attic and will not disturb the homeowner. But this can harm the butterfly due to ignorance.
- Butterfly is in hibernation
- should not be disturbed
- do not bring into warm rooms
- the “awakened” pigeontail would starve in it
- Carefully catch stray specimens in living spaces
- move to garage, basement to attic
- provide an opportunity for departure in spring
- for example through a slightly open window
