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A trans-oceanic flight of over 4,200 km by painted lady butterflies - Nature Communications (www.nature.com)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

4 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Additional article: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/25/science/butterflies-ocean-migration.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2U0.moxh.43MfSjCSno_6&smid=url-share

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago (2 children)

This is just incredible. How does a tiny creature like that store enough energy to make that flight. They can't stop and feed.

Nature is awesome and very humbling at times.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

"The overall journey, which was energetically feasible only if assisted by winds"

yeah you're right

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

They make that journey not knowing the wind will help them. Even so, all that time without feeding.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Yeah it’s completely fucking nuts - hard to believe it’s a real thing that actually happens I thought butterflies were optimised for flying in a deliberately squiggly way to avoid becoming lunch as far as possible 🫨