Although different species of butterflies have different abilities to live or different lifespans, especially the lifespan of a butterfly for the adult stage. But for almost 12 months, a butterfly generally survives. The mourning cloak butterfly is believed to be the longest living in North America. The mayflies live the shortest among other species of butterflies. The Mayflies live for just 24 hours or a single day compared to the mourning cloak, which lives for at least 6 to 12 months.