A trans-oceanic flight of over 4,200 km by painted lady butterflies - Nature Communications (www.nature.com)
from Blaze@reddthat.com to science@mander.xyz on 28 Jun 2024 09:25
https://reddthat.com/post/21340917

Additional article: nytimes.com/…/butterflies-ocean-migration.html?un…

#science

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FatLegTed@piefed.social on 28 Jun 2024 10:34 collapse

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.

DavidGarcia@feddit.nl on 28 Jun 2024 10:41 next collapse

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

yeah you’re right

baggins@beehaw.org on 28 Jun 2024 11:31 collapse

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

casmael@lemm.ee on 28 Jun 2024 11:58 collapse

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 🫨