Can you tell the age of a butterfly by the number of spots on its wings?

No, the number of spots on a butterfly's wings is not a reliable indicator of its age. While the number of spots can vary between individuals of the same species, it is not a consistent indicator of age. A butterfly's lifespan can vary depending on its species and environmental factors such as temperature, food availability, and predation. Some butterflies only live for a few days, while others can live up to several months.

The color and pattern of a butterfly's wings can also change over time due to wear and tear or exposure to sunlight, which can make it difficult to accurately determine the age of an individual butterfly. Scientists typically use other methods such as observing the development of physical features, such as the wings, to determine the age of a butterfly.