Sparring Bugs Question
Bob Parcelles,Jr.
rjparcelles at yahoo.com
Wed Oct 23 20:34:15 EDT 2002
--- MexicoDoug at aol.com wrote:
> Nigel,
>
> If I read your (and Chip's) messages between the lines, both of you
> seem to
> suggest that because the smaller (male) butterfly is looking for a
> mate he
> becomes more aggressive. I am certainly with you there. Then both
> of you
> seem to make a small leap of faith in the assumption that an
> aggresive male
> on the prowl can engender fear--observed as a dramatic fleeing
> flight-- in a
> much larger butterfly.
=======================================================================
Throughout the animal kingdom there is much ritualization where we
would expect a "fight to the finnish" but it (the loser )rarely comes
to harm. It has evolved that winners and losers go on to posture and
fight another day. The fact that a smaller more fit male might win such
a trial points to natural selection at work.
Bob
=====
Bob Parcelles, Jr
Pinellas Park, FL
Ecologist/Ethologist, RJP Associates
CEO, PROactive Ecology Solutions Group (PESG)
Institute of Ecological and Environmental Studies (IEES)
http://www.Ecology-Today.eboard.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturepotpourri
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