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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