[Leps-l] looking for info about butterfly recognition of individual humans

Bill Cornelius billcor at mcn.org
Fri Jul 8 21:10:28 EDT 2022


Hi John:

That's an interesting article. Do you know of anything similar concerning butterflies? I have a bet with a state parks ranger, but she has to prove butterflies don't remember individuals. I'm pretty sure that's an impossible proof to begin with but I still need to show something besides my own observation & opinion or she can claim default.

Bill :)
 
On Jul 8, 2022, at 4:46 PM, John Shuey <jshuey at TNC.ORG> wrote:

> Although everyone knows that birds are superior beings, it surprised me that Common Terns could recognize a threat arriving in an orange VW van from one year to the next and fly out to attack and stain the vehicle before the person even got out, having not seen the vehicle or person for 10 months.
>  
> Crows are known to recognize faces that do evil to them.   See -https://www.npr.org/2019/09/13/760666490/crows-are-they-scary-or-just-scary-smart
>  
> john
>   
>  
> From: Leps-l <leps-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Michael Gochfeld
> Sent: Friday, July 8, 2022 5:14 PM
> To: Bill Cornelius <billcor at mcn.org>; Leps list <leps-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Leps-l] looking for info about butterfly recognition of individual humans
>  
> It shouldn't be a surprise that an insect can recognized a food-giver or a threat.  Whether and how they classify these and to what extent they can distinguish individuals can be tested.  How long they "remember" ----not sure.  Whether they recognize visually or olfactory, and whether it is the person or the body language would be good to study.
>  
> On a different note:
>  
> Although everyone knows that birds are superior beings, it surprised me that Common Terns could recognize a threat arriving in an orange VW van from one year to the next and fly out to attack and stain the vehicle before the person even got out, having not seen the vehicle or person for 10 months.
>  
> MIKE GOCHFELD
>  
> From: Leps-l <leps-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Bill Cornelius <billcor at mcn.org>
> Sent: Friday, July 8, 2022 12:45 AM
> To: Leps list <leps-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> Subject: [Leps-l] looking for info about butterfly recognition of individual humans
>  
> Hi List:
> 
> I read some time ago, before fact checking was an industry, that some reared Heliconius charithonia will recognize individual people that have acted threateningly or non threateningly towards them and react correspondingly days or weeks later. Can anyone send me any info on that? My own experience with Polygonias indicates they do have that capability. I'm looking for support but any info will do.
> 
> thanks
> Bill Cornelius
> _______________________________________________
> Leps-l mailing list
> Leps-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmailman.yale.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fleps-l&data=05%7C01%7Cmg930%40eohsi.rutgers.edu%7C5fcc1203f22f4be7f8a308da609cbfec%7Cb92d2b234d35447093ff69aca6632ffe%7C1%7C0%7C637928523958446938%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=QX3oKHQ%2Fhz%2Fj%2FL%2BGkSLDZ6tbpBmjJnXJ%2B7%2Fkft4fKGk%3D&reserved=0
> _______________________________________________
> Leps-l mailing list
> Leps-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/leps-l

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/leps-l/attachments/20220708/9e6d92bd/attachment.html>


More information about the Leps-l mailing list