smoke and butterflies?

[Ray Tripp]

When I was in New Caledonia in '92 we saw some "wild" fires set by kids so
that they could have statis and be talked about. We stood on the road and
watched and a few pictures even. You cannot see the moths or butterflies in
the dark, but they were leaving the undergrowth behind us and we couldn't
smell it yet.

Ray


----- Original Message -----
From: Laurel Godley <godley at hotmail.com>
To: <LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 1999 1:10 PM
Subject: smoke and butterflies?


> Has anyone ever researched the effect of smoke from forest fires on
> butterflies?
>
> I will be visiting my father in Redding, Ca this weekend and he commented
on
> the number of fires there.  It got me to wondering if something like smoke
> drift and inhalation would effect butterflies much.  Certianly I would
> expect the effects of the actual fire and the heat in the vicinity to kill
> most things.  What I'm thinking is more along the lines of butterflies in
> the next valley or ridge away.  10 miles?  25 miles?  50 miles?  Would
smoke
> blown by the wind impact them significantly?  It certianly seems that
> mosquitos steer clear around the camp fire but is there a physiological
> reason why insects might flee?
>
> Thanks!
> Laurel
> in San Jose, CA
>
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