Parasites and Monarchs

[Stanley A. Gorodenski]

I read an interesting summary about a letter that appeared in Ecological 
Letters 8, 290, 2005. It appears Monarchs injected with Protozoan 
parasites show reduced flight performance and endurance in experimantal 
cages. It was estimated this would increase the migration of a Monarch 
by about 9-10 weeks, thereby reducing the chance the butterfly will 
reach its destination. This was speculated to account for the difference 
in parasite burden between populations that migrate and those that do 
not, and that habitat destruction and climate change will increase the 
prevalence of parasites.
Stan


 
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