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Post by wollastoni on Sept 16, 2016 16:07:35 GMT
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Post by deliasfanatic on Sept 16, 2016 16:55:19 GMT
It's especially interesting that certain species seem to prefer different parts of the head!
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Post by Paul K on Sept 16, 2016 17:13:13 GMT
Ha, try to net them.
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Post by cabintom on Sept 16, 2016 17:18:46 GMT
I was thinking about this... would I try a swing at it? Caimans aren't that big right? |
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Post by wollastoni on Sept 16, 2016 17:49:09 GMT
It's especially interesting that certain species seem to prefer different parts of the head!
I think it is more a protective measure. They feel protected among the mass when they stay together.
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Post by Paul K on Sept 17, 2016 0:54:43 GMT
I was thinking about this... would I try a swing at it? Caimans aren't that big right? No they are not, but surly have powerful bite. |
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Post by Paul K on Sept 17, 2016 3:58:49 GMT
It's especially interesting that certain species seem to prefer different parts of the head!
I think it is more a protective measure. They feel protected among the mass when they stay together.
I rather think they see other butterflies of same species and they fly to investigate what is happening. It is actually a good trick to lure the butterflies I have learned from local cautchers in Wang Chin, Thailand. They would pour some urine as a bait on the sandy edge of the stream and place some dead no good for sale butterflies. More butterflies of the same species were seat on top and near dead once to see if something good is there. |
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Post by wollastoni on Sept 17, 2016 8:36:30 GMT
I think it is more a protective measure. They feel protected among the mass when they stay together.
I rather think they see other butterflies of same species and they fly to investigate what is happening. It is actually a good trick to lure the butterflies I have learned from local cautchers in Wang Chin, Thailand. They would pour some urine as a bait on the sandy edge of the stream and place some dead no good for sale butterflies. More butterflies of the same species were seat on top and near dead once to see if something good is there. No, this other behaviour is due to territoriality. Works fine with Papilio males and Delias males. They "attack" the dead male. |
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Post by Adam Cotton on Sept 17, 2016 17:18:36 GMT
Actually I agree with Paul. Butterflies at mud-puddles cluster in groups of the same or similarly coloured species. The same is happening on the cayman's head.
I don't agree that the butterflies "attack" a dead male on the mud, they are attracted to the colour, and almost certainly don't realise that the specimen is dead. Put a Graphium sarpedon on mud and various different blue/green Graphium species will cluster around it, but other butterflies which are also attracted by the presence of butterflies puddling will form their own groups. At first there may be a few Graphium on the ground, and then soon a Pierid will join them on one side. After that the following Pierids will all land near the first one, and soon you will have groups of butterflies in patches of different colours. They are not being territorial, as they do not fight for territory with other specimens of the same colour, or with different coloured species. It could be 'safety in numbers' that leads them to group by colour, and I think grouping on the cayman's head is similar behaviour.
Adam.
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Post by jmg on Oct 8, 2016 15:53:50 GMT
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