Tag

Butterflies

All articles tagged with #butterflies

science6 days ago•2 min saved

Tropical butterflies age slowly, revealing clues to longevity

Researchers studying tropical Heliconius butterflies found some species live much longer and age more slowly than close relatives. Heliconius hewitsoni can live up to about 348 days, while Dione juno may only reach 14 days, demonstrating dramatic lifespan differences among near relatives. Grip-strength tests showed older Heliconius retain function like younger ones, unlike Dryas iulia, which ages normally. Although pollen feeding was suspected to drive longevity, removing pollen from Heliconius hecale's diet did not erase the longevity advantage, suggesting intrinsic biological factors also govern aging. The findings offer a rare natural comparison to understand aging biology in insects.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#aging #butterflies #heliconius

science24 days ago•4 min saved

Pollen-Powered Lifespans: Butterflies Reveal Hidden Longevity Secrets

Researchers mapped maximum lifespans across Heliconiini butterflies and found remarkable variation, with pollen-fed species such as Heliconius living longer (up to about 348 days) than non-pollen eaters; Myscelia cyaniris records the longest at 380 days. The study suggests heritable factors and pollen-derived nutrients may boost aging resistance and energy, though diet interacts with genetics and sample size; results published in Nature Communications and highlight the complex biology of aging in closely related butterflies.

via ScienceAlert|

#aging #butterflies #heliconius

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Ancient Genetic Switch Shapes Wing Patterns Across Lepidoptera

An international study finds that distantly related Lepidoptera rely on the same two genes, ivory and optix, controlled by regulatory switches, to produce identical wing color patterns across 120 million years of evolution, via Müllerian and Batesian mimicry; the work suggests evolution may be more predictable than previously thought, with mutation hotspots enabling rapid adaptation, including an inversion mechanism in some moths and genetic modification confirming the gene’s role in color.

via Indian Defence Review|

#butterflies #evolution #genetics

politics2 months ago•54 min saved

Trump's Butterfly Metaphor Triggers Confusion Over Iran Drone War

Former President Donald Trump sparked confusion with a butterfly analogy about Iran's drones on Truth Social, pairing butterflies with drones and AI imagery as he bragged about strikes; the post drew ridicule and raised questions about his cognitive stability, while the piece also notes his administration's record on monarch butterfly protections.

via The Daily Beast|

#butterflies #donald-j-trump #drones

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Two Genes, 120 Million Years: Repeating Mimicry in Butterflies and Moths

A study of neotropical butterflies and a day-flying moth shows that the same two genes, ivory (a long noncoding RNA) and optix (a transcription factor), underlie similar wing color patterns across species separated by over 120 million years, with regulatory changes near ivory driving the variation. In the moth Chetone histrio, a chromosomal inversion including ivory mirrors a butterfly inversion, suggesting recurrent use of a shared genomic toolkit that constrains evolutionary pathways and could help predict responses to environmental change.

via Indian Defence Review|

#butterflies #evolution #genetics

biology2 months ago•5 min saved

A Shared Genetic Playbook Drives Butterfly and Moth Color for 120 Million Years

Researchers found that distantly related butterflies and a day-flying moth repeatedly rely on the same two genes, ivory and optix, to produce warning coloration. Rather than changing the genes themselves, evolution tweaks regulatory switches that control when and where these genes are active, a pattern conserved across seven butterfly lineages and a moth for over 120 million years. This suggests evolution may be more predictable than previously thought and could help scientists anticipate future adaptations, with findings published in PLoS Biology.

via ScienceDaily|

#biology #butterflies #evolution

sports5 months ago•2 min saved

Osaka Makes a Butterfly-Themed Entrance, Sparks Australian Open Victory

Naomi Osaka opened the Australian Open with a bold butterfly-themed entrance—featuring a wide-brim hat, veil and a white parasol—before defeating Antonia Ruzic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. The look nods to her 2021 Melbourne success and jellyfish-inspired dress, while the event’s water motif and a remodeled Rod Laver Arena tunnel provided a backdrop as she eyes a second-round match against Sorana Cirstea and builds confidence.

via NBC News|

#australian-open #butterflies #fashion

environment8 months ago•1 min saved

Gardening's Steady Rewards: Sleep, Creep, Leap

The author describes transforming a sad lawn into a thriving native plant garden over three years, leading to increased butterfly activity and a deeper connection with neighbors, illustrating the rewarding process of gardening and ecological restoration.

via Axios|

#butterflies #environment #gardening

wildlife11 months ago•8 min saved

Woman Sees 'Bird Poop' Transform Into Beauty

A woman discovers a caterpillar that resembles bird droppings on her lemon plant, which later transforms into a beautiful butterfly, highlighting the remarkable process of metamorphosis and the caterpillar's clever camouflage.

via The Dodo|

#butterflies #caterpillars #disguise

science11 months ago•1 min saved

Butterflies' Second 'Heads' May Explain Their Behavior

Many butterflies in the Lycaenidae family have evolved false heads on their wings, including false antennae and eye spots, to deceive predators like lizards, allowing them to escape with minimal wing damage and pass on their genes. A study of 928 species shows these traits evolved in a correlated manner as an adaptive anti-predatory strategy.

via ScienceAlert|

#butterflies #evolution #false-head

science-and-technology2 years ago•5 min saved

Butterfly-inspired cancer detection: Unveiling the unseen

Researchers have developed an imaging sensor inspired by the visual system of butterflies, allowing it to "see" into the ultraviolet (UV) range. The sensor uses stacked photodiodes and perovskite nanocrystals to image different wavelengths in the UV spectrum. By leveraging the spectral signatures of biomedical markers, such as amino acids, the sensor can differentiate between cancer cells and normal cells with 99% confidence. This technology has potential applications in surgery to help surgeons determine clear margins when removing tumors and can also provide insights into the behavior of species that can see in the UV range.

via Phys.org|

#biomedical-markers #butterflies #cancer-detection

crime2 years ago•2 min saved

Illegal Butterfly Trade: Man Arrested for Smuggling $200,000 Worth of Insects

A Long Island man, Charles Limmer, has been charged with smuggling $200,000 worth of deceased, protected butterflies, including birdwings, and other insects into and out of the United States. Limmer allegedly labeled the illegal shipments as "decorative wall coverings" and "origami paper craft" to conceal the smuggling scheme. He expressed contempt for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Limmer, who claims to be a lepidopterist and conservationist, had obtained a federal license to import and export wildlife commercially in 2016 but had it suspended last October. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of over 1,000 insects.

via The New York Times|

#butterflies #conservation #crime

science2 years ago•2 min saved

Ancient DNA Blocks Unite Butterflies and Moths, New Research Shows

New research reveals that butterflies, moths, and aquatic caddisflies share DNA "blocks" dating back over 200 million years, providing insights into their genetic history and the evolution of chromosomes. Scientists developed a method to analyze the chromosomes of these species and found shared blocks of homology, indicating a common ancestry. This study improves understanding of moth and butterfly gene evolution and may also aid in studying chromosome evolution in other organisms.

via SciTechDaily|

#butterflies #chromosome-evolution #dna

biology2 years ago•3 min saved

The Colorblindness of Male Butterflies: Exploring the Lack of Vivid Vision

Female zebra longwing butterflies have the ability to see colors that males cannot, thanks to a gene on their sex chromosome called UVRh1. Researchers have discovered this through genomic sequencing and lab experiments. The presence of this gene on the sex chromosome raises questions about how it got there and sheds light on the evolution of differences between sexes. Further research on other longwing species may provide more insights into the origins of this gene and other differences between male and female butterflies.

via The New York Times|

#biology #butterflies #color-vision

science2 years ago•5 min saved

"Fluttering Minds: How Butterflies Master Spatial Learning"

Researchers have discovered that Heliconius butterflies exhibit spatial learning, providing the first experimental evidence of such abilities in any butterfly or moth species. These butterflies can learn and memorize spatial information on large scales, which is important for their foraging behavior known as traplining. The study suggests that complex learning skills, including the use of spatial information, may be more common in insects than previously recognized. The findings highlight the possibility of widespread cognitive abilities in insects and open up avenues for further research on the mechanisms of navigation in butterflies.

via Neuroscience News|

#butterflies #heliconius #insects