Mortality census?

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

Hi May. I have never censused the levels of mortality from vehicle
collisions but one way to look at this is to realize that this appears to be
an unavoidable source of mortality and that butterflies have high
reproductive rates to compensate for high mortality. An empirical study
(Munguira and Thomas 1992) showed that major roads with high traffic volumes
in the UK did not cause significant problems for butterflies.  Mortalities
from vehicle collisions were insignificant compared to natural factors.
Wide and busy roads were not a barrier to movement.  Roadsides provided
important butterfly habitat in a landscape heavily modified by human
activity.  One of the largest UK populations of a rare butterfly existed on
a patch of roadside habitat.

-----Original Message-----
From: burro at panama.gulf.net [mailto:burro at panama.gulf.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2001 5:58 PM
To: Lepidoptera list
Subject: Mortality census?


I live midway between Panama City and Tallahassee, FL.  Hwy. 231 runs
north and south and when we moved here in 1989, it was considerably less
traveled than now.  The rapidly burgeoning population, an avaricious
Tourist Development Council, short-sighted County Commission and the
selling of thousands of acres to development via Arvida Realty (St.
Joseph's Paper Co.) all contribute to an unbelievable traffic flow all
along this route from Panama City to Dothan, AL.

When butterflies migrate, they travel west to east across this highway.
I imagine they will then turn south to peninsula Florida, although many
Monarchs and Gulf Fritillaries reach the beach areas and are seen flying
over the Gulf.

In past years (we have experienced 3 years of severe drought which broke
this summer), we were thrilled to see so many butterflies, but the
numbers have diminished greatly over the last three.  Now so few are
seen, and they are being decimated by being splattered on the hoods and
windshields of vehicles.

Is there any way to estimate how many get killed on highways (or one
specific route)
at the final destination?

I know my question is probably very naive, but for me it's a real
problem, personally.  I wondered what you experts have to say on the
subject.

(And by the way, I've been trying to get a public butterfly house here
for three years!
No takers.  But Spring Break and MTV rules!  I have all the regulations,
etc.  No interest at all from county government, but lots from the
snowbirds and residents.)

May

http://www.geocities.com/ovaeasy5944/mayspage


 
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