Women like this exist all over the world, and new research shows that these bold butterfly Travel thousands of miles across the ocean.
Swallowtail butterfly, Vanessa CarduiIt will fly at least 2,610 miles (4,200 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean from West Africa to French Guiana in South America, according to a new study published by the National Institute of Aerial Sciences. Nature Communications In June.
The study adds that the butterflies may have traveled at least 4,345 miles (7,000 kilometers) from their emergence point, or the place where they emerged from their cocoons.
“This journey, which was energetically feasible only with the help of the wind, is one of the longest recorded journeys for a single insect and possibly the first verified transatlantic journey,” the study said.
They are well-traveled insects, found in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and Central America, and like the monarch butterfly, are migratory. Wisconsin Horticulture.
“Migrating insects are often observed in the open ocean, far from their native habitats, from ships or marine platforms at sea, or from remote unsuitable islands, or they may arrive along coasts following tracks that appear to stretch far out to sea,” the study states. “Despite decades of accumulating evidence, long-distance dispersals (LDDs) of insects remain largely overlooked due to the lack of reliable methods to track the long-distance movements of such small, short-lived organisms.”
How did they track the butterflies?
In October 2013, three of the 10 butterflies observed in the study were captured on the coast of French Guiana with damaged wings after flying violently over the ocean.
As a stable population has never been recorded in South America, the study suggests that this butterfly, known for its strong migratory potential, must have originated from one of the following continents:
- North America
- Europe
- Africa
By using methods that included reconstructing the trajectory of headwinds hour by hour from the shore where the researchers captured the exhausted insects, they found that the butterflies had arrived on the coast from West Africa.
Can Painted Lady be found in America?
yes Painted Lady It is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. University of Colorado Boulder Museum of Natural History.
The painted lady does not follow any seasonal pattern, but there are several theories as to what determines its migration patterns.
“It is hypothesized that their migration patterns are influenced by heavy rains such as El Niño, which may affect the abundance of host plants for their larvae,” the museum said. “In North America, painted ladies are commonly seen migrating northwestward in the spring, and may be seen on a second migration southward in the fall.”
This butterfly also migrates to Canada and Mexico, a migration that involves multiple generations.
What should I plant to attract swallowtail butterflies?
Butterflies are attracted to over 100 different kinds of flowers. GardeniaThey prefer flowers from the Asteraceae family, such as thistles, but flowers from the Malvaceae genus are also great choices.
Butterflies are also attracted to legumes such as alfalfa and clover. Insect folklore.
Their larvae have a similar appetite, albeit a voracious one: they prefer to feed on thistles, but also on the other plants mentioned above.
When creating the perfect butterfly garden for your Western green swallowtails, be careful not to use herbicides or pesticides, as they may harm the hungry caterpillars and their parents.
Julia is a popular reporter for USA Today, covering a variety of topics from business and government to technology and pop culture in her hometown of Miami. LinkedIn Or follow her X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and Tick tock: @juliamariegz
