Environmental, Developmental, and Genetic Conditions Shaping Monarch Butterfly Migration Behavior.

ABSTRACT: Monarch butterflies in North America migrate south each autumn, but the mechanisms that initiate their migratory flight remain incompletely understood. We investigated environmental, developmental, and genetic factors that contribute to directional flight by testing summer and autumn-generation monarchs in three flight simulators: two at ground level (with and without wind blockage) and a novel balloon-based system that raised butterflies 30 meters into the air. Monarchs reared under autumn-like conditions in a growth chamber during the summer were also tested to explore the influence of developmental cues. Autumn generation monarchs demonstrated significant southwestern flight orientation, observed exclusively in the balloon simulator, underscoring the importance of high-altitude flight f

SUBMITTER: Tsai HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11761016 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature