Papillon du jour (butterflies) flying in the middle of the night.

[Paul Cherubini]

Martin Bailey wrote:

> I, therefore, propose two hypotheses:
> Migrating butterflies will continue to fly at night over water if they are
> physiologically capable of doing so.  To land is to drown.
> Migrating butterflies will continue to fly at night over land if they are
> physiologically capable of doing so until they find suitable habitat to
> roost on.

How do we even know migratory butterflies can see in the middle of the night?
Is a dehydrated butterfly in the desert functionally   capable of flying to a flower or 
puddle of water that may be only a few feet away in the middle of a hot 
night? I doubt it.

Can any migratory butterfly detect the movement of an approaching six
foot tall homo sapien on a warm night and take evasive action? 
I doubt it. 

If the wind disturbs a tree full of monarchs or migratory 
Painted Ladies at night do they take flight and re-gather on the leeward
side of trees out of the wind? Or do they all crash to the ground below 
the tree where they are subject to being eaten by mice and ground dwelling
invertebrates? The latter in my experience.  

Paul Cherubini

 
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