Scientists have discovered a unique pattern in a species of butterflies. Butterflies that share a particular color combination also have similar flying behavior. The surprising thing is that by duplicating each other in this way, they give a strong warning to the predatory attackers, which helps them in saving their existence.
In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers at York University analyzed the flight of 351 butterflies from 38 species of wild butterflies found in South America by studying high-speed video recordings.
These butterflies had 10 different pattern groups whose flight behavior was linked to factors such as habitat, wing size and temperature. Contrary to expectations, it was found that each butterfly’s flight behavior depended on its group, not on its habitat or wing size. This led the researchers to the conclusion that butterflies with the same mimicry group actually send a warning signal to predators.
This behavior of butterflies makes the predator feel that butterflies are not worth eating. (Symbolic photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Predatory butterflies not only perceive this behavior as a threat, but also see it as an attempt to deter predation. PhD student Edge Page, who was involved in the study, considers the flight behavior and shared color combination of non-edible butterfly species to be very important in terms of evolution.
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Researchers say that butterflies with similar colors, by flying in the same way, send a message that makes the predator feel that they are not good to eat. Once a predator accidentally eats one, it looks at the rest and thinks they are not worth eating. Whereas the reality is that flight is quite complex and factors like temperature and accommodation also have a significant impact on it. The interesting thing is that this kind of behavior has been seen not in any one group but in many groups.
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FIRST PUBLISHED: February 27, 2024, 16:52 IST