Since it is Valentine’s Day, some of you might be wondering, do butterflies fall in love?
Although I have never seen a butterfly flying around in with a tiny box of chocolates in claw, I have seen them around a lot of flowers, so perhaps there are romantic leanings. Assuming other pressing needs such as eating are satisfied, reproduction moves to the top of the “to do” list for both male and female butterflies. In most situations, males initiate courtship.
Male butterflies have several methods for finding mates—perching, patrolling, and hill-topping. Although species have typical patterns of mate-finding, some engage in different methods at different times and some practice all three. Analogous human activities are hanging out, cruising, and going to parties.
Male butterfly perchers sit on a leaf or other structure where hostplants are concentrated or where females are likely to pass by. They do not tolerate other male perchers of the same species nearby. In A Field Guide to the Butterflies (Houghton Mifflin Co., 1951) Alexander Klots states that some butterflies not only chase other butterflies away but also “birds, and even dogs and people.” This is as true in 2013 as it was in 1951.
Patrollers actively survey an area by flying back and forth along a certain route until they find a female to court. Remember American Graffiti?
Hill-topping males stay at the summit of a hill and wait for females to fly up. It’s party time!
No matter how the adults find each other, courtship is the next step. Courtship rituals aid adult butterflies of the same species in recognizing each other. Courtship begins with a visual inspection of color (including ultraviolet) and pattern to ensure mating with the right species and sex. Since butterflies detect movement but not detail very well, mistakes are made. I once saw a male Cloudless Sulphur amorously approach my chartreuse water bottle lid that resembled a super-sized Cloudless Sulphur female. I had a girl friend that was attracted to a guy initially, but while they were on their way to a restaurant one night, he ran into a lamppost. After that, she never felt the same way about him. I think she wondered if he ever really saw her, since he missed the post.
Assuming the visual inspection passes, however, additional courtship behaviors follow. These range from spiraling into the air (which might indicate acceptance or rejection), to wing-flapping, to terrestrial “dances.” Pheromones are released from scent cells which are located in different places on a butterfly’s body depending on the species. This is like wearing perfume and cologne and dancing together.
So, really, do butterflies fall in love? Certainly there are attractions between the sexes, but as far as committed relationships go, it might be best to search elsewhere in the animal kingdom. Just watch out for those lampposts!
©Rita Venable 2013
