TRENTON — A swarm of butterflies have been making their way
through New Jersey in recent days. Experts say some ecological
switch apparently got flicked somewhere, because red admiral
butterflies apparently decided to leave the warmer confines of
the South and migrate north. And many of them seem to be hanging
out in New Jersey. It's believed that a change in temperatures
or in the length of day likely served as the basis for the
migratory trigger. The typical lifespan of an adult butterfly is
three months. But because many of these butterflies have flown
hundreds of miles from their likely birthplaces in Georgia or
the Carolinas, it's unclear how much longer the immigrants
fluttering outside will last.