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Massive Butterfly migration
Posted by:
Naturalist97333 on
April 21, 2009 at
8:02AM PST
I rode my bike home from Albany along Riverside Drive and saw
-Don Also this from Lisa Millbank: "Wow, it's not just birds migrating right now; probably everyone has noticed all of the Painted Lady butterflies flying north as well. I was reading something by Art Shapiro of UC-Davis, who predicts that we might see one of the largest Painted Lady migrations in modern history, although it's hard to say what fraction of the vast numbers in California will make it all the way up here. Heavy rainfall in S California/N Mexico provided lots of plant growth for the caterpillars, and some adults probably overwinter. A lot of the butterflies look pretty worn from their long flights. Apparently, as caterpillars they can store up substantial amounts of fat, and the fat powers the adults' long flights. They don't stop to feed on flowers very much. When they run out of stored-up fuel they start feeding and breeding.I'll bet the insect-eating birds are enjoying these rich and tasty butterflies. The birds mostly migrate by night, but wherever they land for their daily rest, there's no shortage of meals flying by all day long."
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