Caterpillar Suppliers

[SK Khew]

Intersting description, Paul.  However, from my own field observations 
of our local tropical butterflies, I notice that when a mating pair is 
locked together, it is usually the larger and stronger female that does 
the flying.  The male stays still and enjoys the ride (in more ways than 
one!)
So is it true from what you have seen, that for Monarchs, the male does 
the flying?




>Far from a romantic courtship, what really happens is that male 
monarchs
>tirelessly patrol milkweed patches ready to frantically chase and
>overtake any female that comes along. The 1-2 minute chase is an 
awesome
>sight where the male and female use all the flight energy they can
>muster to pursue or elude one another,  If the male manages to catch up
>with her in flight, he tries to capture her with his legs in mid air. 
If
>he manages to capture her, the pair floats to the ground where another
>2- 5 minute struggle between the two begins.  The male tries to grab a
>hold of the females' rear end with his abdominal claspers while the
>female writhers and twists her abdomen away from him. It looks like an
>all out wrestling match. Usually the male out manuvers her and manages
>to obtain a firm hold of her abdomen.. Then he flies away carrying her
>to a quiet spot where the two stay paired for 6-12 hours. Female
>monarchs are never in a receptive state, but the intensity of her
>resistance (and the intensity of the males' persistence) varies
>somewhat.  Not much different from human courtship!
>
>Paul Cherubini, El Dorado, California
>


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