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| Schaus Swallowtail, by Jaret C. Daniels |
The Schaus Swallowtail is an extremely endangered butterfly living on just a few islands in the Florida Keys. Scientists are trying to set up a breeding program by finding four fertile females, but are having tremendous difficulty doing even that. Learn more at The Miami Herald.
Monarch Butterflies May Fight OE With Plants
In our lab, we watch monarch butterflies struggle with the parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, known as OE. Though some caterpillars appear healthy, once in chrysalis the parasite makes its presence known, and the adult butterfly is unable to form or is too deformed to emerge and fly properly. New research suggests that monarch butterflies may be aware of their infection and try to fight it by choosing a specific type of milkweed to lay their eggs. Learn more at EarthSky.
| Spring 2012 Monarch Butterfly Migration |
Speaking of monarchs... Though our Central Florida monarchs don't migrate, those in the rest of the country undergo one of the most spectacular migrations in the world. This spring's northern migration from Mexico appears to be one of the largest ever, with such great numbers that the butterflies have pushed well north of their usual range to ensure enough food for everyone. Reports of record numbers of monarch butterflies in Alberta and Saskatchewan are causing lots of excitement. Learn more at CBCNews.
Female Butterflies Seek Out Flashy Mates
An interesting research program at Yale shows that female butterflies of the species Bicyclus anynana will quickly come to prefer males with four eyespots on their forewings, rather than the more usual two. This behavior helps to explain butterfly pattern evolution. Learn more at Science Daily.
"Aphrodisiac" Caterpillar Harvest Causes Environmental Impacts
In the Himalaya mountains in Nepal, caterpillars killed by the fungus known as "yartsa gunbu" are highly prized. Traditional Chinese medicine considers these fungus-ridden larva to be an aphrodisiac, and they're so valuable that 28 grams can sell for $800 - a princely sum to a peasant in the region. Huge numbers of people flood the region each year for the "harvest", damaging the grasslands and impacting local farmers and grazing livestock. Learn more at IRIN.
Know of a good recent lepidoptera-related news story we might have missed? Let us know in the comments below!
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