Migration in butterflies: a global overview

摘要: Insect populations including butterflies are declining worldwide, and they becoming an urgent conservation priority in many regions. Understanding which butterfly species migrate is critical to planning for their conservation, because management actions migrants need be coordinated across time space. Yet, while migration appears widespread among butterflies, its prevalence, as well taxonomic geographic distribution poorly understood. The study of insect hampered by small size the difficulty tracking individuals over long distances. Here we review literature on one best-known groups. We find that nearly 600 show evidence migratory movements. Indeed, rate 'discovery' movements suggests more might fact migratory. Butterfly occurs all families, tropical temperate taxa; Nymphalidae has than any other family (275 species), Pieridae highest proportion (13%; 133 species). Some 13 lines have been used ascribe status literature, but only a single line available 92% identified, with four or 10 - from Nymphalidae. Migratory occur although resolved, most data so far coming Europe, USA, Australia. Migration much previously realised extending beyond well-known examples monarch Danaus plexippus painted lady Vanessa cardui conserve insects general must account spatial dependencies introduced