Sparring Bugs Question
Chris J. Durden
drdn at mail.utexas.edu
Fri Oct 25 00:54:44 EDT 2002
Actually there is a samurai butterfly that has been taken in the US at
Laredo. *Pyrrhostictus victorinus* (Dbld. 1844) has a serrate saber-form
costa as do other members of what Rothschild & Jordan called the "Homeris
Group" of *Papilio*.
There is also the Asiatic pierid *Hebomoia glaucippe* that is renowned
for its tree-top duels. Again it has a saw-tooth costa in the male.
...................Chris Durden
At 09:10 AM 10/24/2002 +0100, you wrote:
>Doug,
>
>I just read Chip's answer concerning the ping-pong ball....this is a great
>description...the thing is that reflex action comes into play...whenever
>and whatever threatens the butterfly...when it has no interest in
>defending a territory. Stopping to check what is that's chasing you,
>before you take action is not a good survival strategy!
>
>As for your questions
>
> >>>Has anyone ever seen (an confirmed) a female participate in sparring
> (not just fleeing)?<<<
>
>I have never seen a female participating in this action, she has much more
>to lose as she is carrying the next generation...males are more expendable!
>
> >>Exactly what damage has been observed inflicted in any case of sparring
> butterflies?<<<
>
>Some examples...The costal vein of the forewing in the African Charaxes
>are serrated and sharp. Charaxes are strongly territorial...I have seen
>wings cut clean off in fights. Caligos from Central and South American
>also lose wings in interaction... these attacks are often directed at the
>junction of the costal vein..and complete wing loss is not uncommon.
>
> >>>The African Migrations of Libythea## (I looked at the link below and
> see just how similar the your world's "Beaks" are to our world's
> "Snouts") you have observed were quite interesting. I would not exactly
> say that the aggression is forgotton during dramatic migrations here,
> depending on the moods of the participants, as there are always a few
> bugs somewhere in the trees that interrupt the random masses with
> challenges to send them packing. But that is more of a complementary
> observation when there are trees, etc. around.<<<
>
>We also call them Snouts...I have never head of them being called "Beaks"
>but there again I tend to use Latin names when discussing species. What I
>meant about aggression in the migrating butterflies....was that there was
>no aggression between the migrating butterflies.
>
>regards
>Nigel
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