'Old maid' butterflies fly more frequently

[Pete Collins]

Interesting article on the BBC science web page:

BBC - Earth News - 'Old maid' butterflies fly more frequently

[Deb London]

Interesting stuff Pete. Now I'm longing for summer so I can go out and watch their behaviour.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Excellent stuff!

[Susie]

Thanks, Pete, that's very interesting. I've always seen males being very pro-active in finding the females so it is interesting to see that the females will go out of their way to mate too.

[Hobjob]

The article contains the words

. "Researchers studying speckled wood butterflies observed virgin females acting more conspicuously as they aged.

While they still had enough lifespan left to lay and feed their eggs, females increased their activity - apparently in order to attract a mate."

In what way do butterfly females "feed" their eggs. I thought they laid the eggs and got on with producing more?

[Johnny Redgate]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

The article contains the words

. "Researchers studying speckled wood butterflies observed virgin females acting more conspicuously as they aged.

While they still had enough lifespan left to lay and feed their eggs, females increased their activity - apparently in order to attract a mate."

In what way do butterfly females "feed" their eggs. I thought they laid the eggs and got on with producing more?

The number of mature eggs a female can produce depends on the amount of nectar they can take in in some species. They may have fully developed eggs when they emerge from pupation but may develop more with food intake. Perhaps this is what they mean.

[Johnny Redgate]

Originally Posted by Susie

Thanks, Pete, that's very interesting. I've always seen males being very pro-active in finding the females so it is interesting to see that the females will go out of their way to mate too.

In skippers (and I assume other butterflies) males often adopt and defend territories from favoured perches and territories can be quite limited in extent. Within those territories males will investigate all sorts of flying insects, see off any males of the same species and look for females. In woodland rides I have seen male Chequered Skipper territories spaced evenly along every few 10s of metres with a male perched on a tall grass stem or patrolling his section of ride. Large Skipper behave in a similar way. Females of such species often disperse more in search of nectar, larval fooplants and mates.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Johnny Redgate

In skippers (and I assume other butterflies) males often adopt and defend territories from favoured perches and territories can be quite limited in extent. Within those territories males will investigate all sorts of flying insects, see off any males of the same species and look for females. In woodland rides I have seen male Chequered Skipper territories spaced evenly along every few 10s of metres with a male perched on a tall grass stem or patrolling his section of ride. Large Skipper behave in a similar way. Females of such species often disperse more in search of nectar, larval fooplants and mates.

Presumably your Chequered Skippers were in Scotland?

[Johnny Redgate]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Presumably your Chequered Skippers were in Scotland?

No, France. But they behave similarly in Scotland apparently.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Johnny Redgate

The number of mature eggs a female can produce depends on the amount of nectar they can take in in some species. They may have fully developed eggs when they emerge from pupation but may develop more with food intake. Perhaps this is what they mean.

Oh good I'm not going mad then.

They should have said

While they still had enough lifespan left to lay and feed their unlaid eggs, females increased their activity - apparently in order to attract a mate."

and they wouldn't have confused my ageing brain.