Nature & Environment
Monarch Butterfly's Seasonal Migration May Lower Infection Levels
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Nov 28, 2015 06:37 AM EST
The seasonal monarch butterfly migration may actually lower infection levels among the insects. The new findings could be an important part in understanding this massive, yearly migration and preserving this species for future generations.
In this case, the researchers investigated the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha and its impact on migratory success of monarch butterflies. The researchers used observations of infection levels during breeding season, and used chemical markers to understand where the butterflies started from.
The scientists found that within the infected butterflies, monarchs with higher levels of infection originated from more southerly latitudes. This indicated that heavily infected monarchs originating from farther north were less likely to reach Mexico.
"The chemical markers allowed us to estimate where the monarchs started and how far they travelled to reach the wintering sites in Mexico, something that would not be possible using other currently available methods," said Sonia Altizer, one of the researchers, in a news release. "We also found that monarchs with larger wings migrated farther distances on average than those with smaller wings, something that's supported by cross-population comparisons but hasn't been previously shown within North American migratory monarchs."
Collectively, the results emphasize that seasonal migrations may help lower infection levels in wild animal populations. These results, in combination with recent observations of sedentary, winter-breeding monarch populations in the southern U.S. indicate that the shifts from migratory to sedentary behavior may lead to greater infection for North American monarchs.
The findings reveal a bit more about monarch butterflies and may show how these insects manage to have a healthier migration.
The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.
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TagsButterfly, Butterflies, Monarch Butterfly, Insects, Insect, Diseases, Disease, Infection, Infect, Migration ©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
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First Posted: Nov 28, 2015 06:37 AM EST
The seasonal monarch butterfly migration may actually lower infection levels among the insects. The new findings could be an important part in understanding this massive, yearly migration and preserving this species for future generations.
In this case, the researchers investigated the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha and its impact on migratory success of monarch butterflies. The researchers used observations of infection levels during breeding season, and used chemical markers to understand where the butterflies started from.
The scientists found that within the infected butterflies, monarchs with higher levels of infection originated from more southerly latitudes. This indicated that heavily infected monarchs originating from farther north were less likely to reach Mexico.
"The chemical markers allowed us to estimate where the monarchs started and how far they travelled to reach the wintering sites in Mexico, something that would not be possible using other currently available methods," said Sonia Altizer, one of the researchers, in a news release. "We also found that monarchs with larger wings migrated farther distances on average than those with smaller wings, something that's supported by cross-population comparisons but hasn't been previously shown within North American migratory monarchs."
Collectively, the results emphasize that seasonal migrations may help lower infection levels in wild animal populations. These results, in combination with recent observations of sedentary, winter-breeding monarch populations in the southern U.S. indicate that the shifts from migratory to sedentary behavior may lead to greater infection for North American monarchs.
The findings reveal a bit more about monarch butterflies and may show how these insects manage to have a healthier migration.
The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.
Monarch Butterflies Take Flight in Migration to Mexico as Population Plummets
Climate Change: Butterfly Species Face Extinction by 2050 as Droughts Worsen (VIDEO)
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone