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Post by cabintom on Jan 15, 2015 14:34:33 GMT
I've trapped a couple of Charaxes brutus angustus in my yard. I presume they were in the traps for a few hours before I had decided to release them. Before flying off both individuals sat on my finger for a number of minutes. That's when I observed that they were rhythmically vibrating. It was quite noticeable. The body wasn't noticeably shaking though... the sensation was somewhat like a vibrating phone (but to a lesser extent).
Anyone know why they purpose of this vibration would be?
Tom
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Post by nomad on Jan 15, 2015 18:09:14 GMT
Being unable to fly for a couple of hours, the Charaxes were vibrating their wings to get ready for take off. I have often observed disturbed large bodied moths do this, such as those from the families Noctuidae and Sphingidae. It is just like the plane you are sitting in. Once the maximum energy is reached, off you go . The Charaxes and other lepidoptera are vibrating their wings to warm up their flight muscles.
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 15, 2015 18:24:57 GMT
Agree.
I have also witnessed this with an Argema mittrei in the past.
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Post by cabintom on Jan 15, 2015 19:59:20 GMT
The Charaxes and other lepidoptera are vibrating their wings to warm up their flight muscles. Makes sense that they'd be warming up their flight muscles. What I find strange is that the wings themselves weren't vibrating, just (it seems) the thorax. |
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Post by nomad on Jan 17, 2015 16:37:01 GMT
Yes Tom, strange that the bodies of the Charaxes were only vibrating, one would have thought the wings would have been in unison.
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