Transatlantic flight of painted lady butterflies (1 Viewer)

[JTweedie]

Study into what's thought to be the first documented evidence of the crossing of an ocean by an insect, in this case the painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui). We do know about long distance flights by other butterflies such as the monarch in the American continents, but it's good to see studies like this showing more extraordinary journeys.

A trans-oceanic flight of over 4,200 km by painted lady butterflies - Nature Communications

The extent and impact of global insect movements is hindered by tracking limitations. This study reveals a 4,200 km transatlantic journey by butterflies from West Africa to South America, lasting 5-8 days, highlighting the remarkable capacity of certain insects to disperse over vast distances.

www.nature.com

 

[THE_FERN]

Not surprised. This is the most widely distributed species of butterfly with the largest known range of host plants

 

[Jos Stratford]

Study into what's thought to be the first documented evidence of the crossing of an ocean by an insect, in this case the painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui).

How is this the first documented case of the crossing of an ocean by an insect?

Monarch butterfly has successfully colonised lands across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, plus American Painted Lady has also colonised the Canaries etc and is a rare vagrant elsewhere in Europe, eg the UK.

 

[JTweedie]

How is this the first documented case of the crossing of an ocean by an insect?

Monarch butterfly has successfully colonised lands across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, plus American Painted Lady has also colonised the Canaries etc and is a rare vagrant elsewhere in Europe, eg the UK.

That's what they say in their document, albeit by using "potentially".

 

[Farnboro John]

That's what they say in their document, albeit by using "potentially".

But it's not "potentially" and its not "actually" - insect not only covers the Monarchs and American Painted Ladies that get here but also the Green Darner dragonflies that have made it to Scilly and Cornwall. So its "actually not" the first insect known to have crossed an ocean, by a considerably long chalk.

John

 

[Xenospiza]

"The overall journey, which was energetically feasible only if assisted by winds, is among the longest documented for individual insects, and potentially the first verified transatlantic crossing."

Green Darner, American Painted Lady, and Monarch have all occurred in the UK after favourable winds, but cynics might still point at boats.

It's a thorough article - I like the fact that a Western European origin is assumed, whereas we tend to hear that Painted Ladies "do not migrate back" (unlike Red Admiral).

 

[Farnboro John]

"The overall journey, which was energetically feasible only if assisted by winds, is among the longest documented for individual insects, and potentially the first verified transatlantic crossing."

Green Darner, American Painted Lady, and Monarch have all occurred in the UK after favourable winds, but cynics might still point at boats.

It's a thorough article - I like the fact that a Western European origin is assumed, whereas we tend to hear that Painted Ladies "do not migrate back" (unlike Red Admiral).

Cynics can point at what they like but the Green Darners pitched in at the same time and on the same weather system as Common Nighthawk - and anyway it sounds like the event they are talking about isn't any more verified, I'm given to understand ships go both ways. Not in a biblical sense!

John

 

[Jos Stratford]

"The overall journey, which was energetically feasible only if assisted by winds, is among the longest documented for individual insects, and potentially the first verified transatlantic crossing."

Green Darner, American Painted Lady, and Monarch have all occurred in the UK after favourable winds, but cynics might still point at boats.

I fail to see anything in their paper that goes beyond that known for Monarchs in particular and also American Painted Lady and Green Darner.

Monarch records in Europe go back to the late 1800s and are far more than "have all occurred in the UK after favourable winds" - they have well established populations on the European Atlantic islands and southern Iberian coast which genetic studies suggest are the result of multiple separate arrivals. Likewise their arrival in New Zealand and Austria is well documented. American Painted Lady populations in the Canaries are also documented as having been established from multiple arrivals over time.

While utilisation of boats can, perhaps, not be ruled out in the case of some or even all Monarch crossings, nor can it actually be done in relation to their butterflies. Personally, I see little reason to doubt the unassisted vagrancy supported by favourable winds in the case of their Painted Ladies or the Monarchs etc al.

To give credit to the authors, I think it is a well-set out paper. The only fault I see is the claim/suggestion that it can represent the first trans-ocean crossing. At best, it may be the first westbound crossing of the Atlantic

 

[jurek]

I remember a story about the Green Darner dragonfly which caused a twitch in England, and an entomologist who wanted to trap it was very much disliked!

But Guyana must be a good place for European vagrant birds, if butterflies can cross through.

 

[Xenospiza]

I remember a story about the Green Darner dragonfly which caused a twitch in England, and an entomologist who wanted to trap it was very much disliked!

But Guyana must be a good place for European vagrant birds, if butterflies can cross through.

Fernando de Noronha on the eastern tip of Brazil has had some great palearctic birds and even has breeding Squacco Heron.

 

[JTweedie]

"The overall journey, which was energetically feasible only if assisted by winds, is among the longest documented for individual insects, and potentially the first verified transatlantic crossing."

Fighting talk!

 

[Dave Ball]

Fernando de Noronha on the eastern tip of Brazil has had some great palearctic birds and even has breeding Squacco Heron.

That’s only about a degree west of Corvo! (Though obviously a long way south)

(Took a while to work that out using iPhone maps - locating small islands in the middle of oceans - or at least visualising their location relative to continents- is easier using paper atlases - ever tried to find Midway on an iPhone other than by entering it as a search?)

 

[JTweedie]

Fernando de Noronha on the eastern tip of Brazil has had some great palearctic birds and even has breeding Squacco Heron.

Charles Darwin stopped here briefly on his outward voyage on the Beagle. It was a rough landing and the captain decided to sail on the next day. It wasn't his first group of islands he landed on, but he wrote in his diary: "The scenery was very beautiful, & large Magnolias & Laurels & trees covered with delicate flowers ought to have satisfied me. But I am sure all the grandeur of the Tropics has not yet been seen by me. We had no gaudy birds, No humming birds. No large flowers".

 

[Xenospiza]

Charles Darwin stopped here briefly on his outward voyage on the Beagle. It was a rough landing and the captain decided to sail on the next day. It wasn't his first group of islands he landed on, but he wrote in his diary: "The scenery was very beautiful, & large Magnolias & Laurels & trees covered with delicate flowers ought to have satisfied me. But I am sure all the grandeur of the Tropics has not yet been seen by me. We had no gaudy birds, No humming birds. No large flowers".

I can imagine Darwin's disappointment. The island has some spectacular scenery, but its wildlife does not deserve that adjective. I saw the two endemic birds earlier this year and both the vireo and elaenia are the very definition of drab! The endemic skink was quite neat though.

 

[pdwinter]

There is a lot of work in the literature on Pantala flavescens which crosses the Indian Ocean non-stop from Africa to India but has to make stop-offs when flying in the other direction e.g. Frontiers | Transoceanic migration network of dragonfly Pantala flavescens: origin, dispersal and timing

 

[THE_FERN]

There is a lot of work in the literature on Pantala flavescens which crosses the Indian Ocean non-stop from Africa to India but has to make stop-offs when flying in the other direction e.g. Frontiers | Transoceanic migration network of dragonfly Pantala flavescens: origin, dispersal and timing

Indeed. "First documented" is hyperbole but it's cool nonetheless