Collection
Special Collection: Butterflies in Peril
Victoria Pocius and Kelsey Fisher
Annals of the Entomological Society of America is pleased to publish this special collection on butterflies. The papers in this collection look at monarch conservation, including breeding habitat, natural enemies, and genetic and genomic analysis of monarch biology; the effectiveness of line transect and area butterfly surveys; and the impact of floral resources on monarchs and regal fritillaries. Together, these papers provide an overview of the causes of butterfly decline and the best practices in studying and addressing this problem.
All the papers in the collection are freely available to read and download.
The Role of Experiments in Monarch Butterfly Conservation: A Review of Recent Studies and Approaches
Victoria M Pocius, Ania A Majewska, Micah G Freedman
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) (Lepidoptera Danaidae Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus)) have a fascinating life history and have become a model system in chemical ecology, migration biology, and host–parasite interactions, but many aspects of monarch biology important for informing conservation practices remain unresolved. This review focuses on recent advances using experimental and genetic approaches that inform monarch conservation, with particular focus on 1) breeding habitat and host plant use, 2) natural enemies and exotic caterpillar food plants, and 3) the utility of genetic and genomic approaches for understanding monarch biology and informing ongoing conservation efforts.Katherine C Kral-O’Brien, Adrienne K Antonsen, Torre J Hovick, Ryan F Limb, Jason P Harmon
Many methods are used to survey butterfly populations, with line transect and area surveys being prominent. Although methods differ slightly, the selection is often based on producing defendable data for conservation, maximizing data quality, and minimizing effort. To guide method selection, this study compared butterfly surveys using 1) line versus area methods and 2) varying width transects using count data from surveys in North Dakota from 2015 to 2018. Between line and area surveys, more individuals were detected with area surveys. When comparing transect methodology, nearly 60% more individuals were detected when transect width increased from 5 m to unrestricted.Adrienne K Antonsen, Katherine C Kral-O’Brien, Torre J Hovick, Ryan F Limb, Benjamin A Geaumont, Jason P Harmon
Many butterflies in the United States, along with their nectar resources, are declining. Large-scale conservation planning can be challenging, however, when butterflies and their nectar sources exhibit disparate spatiotemporal dynamics. This study reports on a multi-year survey on monarchs (Danaus plexippus), regal fritillaries (Speyeria idalia), and floral resources across North Dakota from 2017 to 2019 to understand resource use through space and time.
