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Post by wollastoni on Dec 15, 2017 13:58:21 GMT
Gonepteryx rhamni is a wonderful European Pieridae which has the ability to overwinter outside, even in very cold environment. They don't really look for warmer place like heated house as other overwintering species can do (Aglais io, Vanessa atalanta,...)
This is a splendid picture by Eberhard Pfeuffer of a Gonepteryx rhamni waiting for warmer days :
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Post by nomad on Dec 15, 2017 15:04:06 GMT
That's amazing, they usually like to hibernate in thick Ivy or a dense holly bush. I myself believe this individual will not survive the exposure to frost and ice.
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 15, 2017 15:32:18 GMT
It will, Peter. Some in the mountains hibernate "under" the snow : in bushes covered by one meter of snow and they wake up perfectly in Spring.  |
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Post by nomad on Dec 15, 2017 17:32:25 GMT
Looking forward to them waking up, that will mean the winter is finally over. |
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 15, 2017 17:35:56 GMT
It is amazing how cold tolerant many insects are. There is a population of Papilio machaon in the coldest inhabited place on earth, Ust Nera, where pupae are subjected to temperatures as low as -40C in winter.
Adam.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 15, 2017 17:44:10 GMT
It is worth adding that of course exposure to below freezing temperatures is gradual, at least over a period of hours or usually days, and during that time the insect's body prepares itself to survive such low temperatures. If you take the same insect from room temperature and put it in the freezer the sudden change in temperature will kill it.
Adam.
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Post by trehopr1 on Dec 15, 2017 20:52:19 GMT
That is simply amazing ! ! Talk about antifreeze coarsing thru your veins. What a unique species...
Adam, do you have any examples to show us of that (presumed) Siberian P. machaon subspecies or population? Is it quite melanic as one would think since evolution holds that creatures in general of Northerly regions tend to be darker than those of more temperate or Southerly regions. The darker coloration of coarse for purposes of absorbing and retaining heat better.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 15, 2017 21:56:58 GMT
I have a series of males and 2 poor quality females. This is of course a univoltine population, so they are small and dark, as you surmised. I provisionally placed them under orientis but Seyer described guttmanni from not so far away, and these look like my specimens from that area. Whether guttmanni is distinct from orientis or not needs more study. Here is a snapshot of a pair:  Adam. |
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