Wendi Pillars - 2023 Fellow
Wendi Pillars teaches Earth Science and Biology at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City, North Carolina.
Kristen Van Der Linden - 2023 Fellow
Kristen Van Der Linden teaches seniors Government and Economics at Bioscience High School in Phoenix, Arizona.
Science Blog:
Butterflies in the snow? Yes, indeed.
Today we witnessed butterflies fluttering in some snow-laden elevations in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which surprised us because we never really equated fragile butterflies with harsh wintry snow conditions at higher altitudes. What we learned is that butterflies have some pretty amazing tricks up their wings to survive the harsh winter conditions. They go through a process called overwintering, which is all about finding smart ways to stay alive when temperatures drop, food becomes scarce, and life gets tough. You might think butterflies are delicate creatures, but they've evolved incredible adaptations to be tough and resilient.
One survival strategy is migration, where some butterfly species like the monarch butterfly embark on long-distance journeys to warmer regions. These butterflies gather in big clusters on trees to keep warm and cozy during winter in places like Mexico or southern California. We only found one migrant butterfly today.
Other butterflies like the ones we found today, however, have different survival strategies. Some go into a special state called diapause, which is like a long winter nap. During diapause, their metabolism slows down, and they become less active. And get this—some butterflies choose to overwinter in different life stages, like eggs, caterpillars (larvae), or chrysalides (pupae). They time their life cycle perfectly to avoid (ideally) the harshest winter conditions. They might snuggle into protected areas like leaf litter under their host plant, beneath tree bark, or other hidden spots that keep them safe and warm from predators and freezing temperatures.
So how do these fragile butterflies manage to survive? Well, their life cycles are often in sync with the seasons, and a fancy way of saying that is phenological synchrony. If they emerge at just the right “calendar time” when the weather is warmer, and there's plenty of food around, it aids their survival. But with climate change causing unexpected weather patterns, this timing is no longer as anticipated, and they can’t always find the resources they need if they emerge too soon.
Another important factor is tri-trophic interactions, which is a fancy way of saying the relationship between plants, caterpillars, and predators or parasitoids. Sometimes, butterflies emerge too early when there's still snow on the ground and their food isn’t “ready”, the parasitoids may not be active yet, or the mismatched life cycles of each can make survival harder for them and affect their populations.
To top it all off, some butterflies can move to higher elevations, or upslope, as temperatures warm up. It's like climbing a mountain to find a comfy spot. As they move up, they follow the climate they like and avoid unfavorable conditions. But not all butterflies can do this—some are limited by specific needs, like certain host plants or other ecological constraints.
The butterflies we found today have admirable survival strategies. They migrate, go into a deep winter nap called diapause, and overwinter in different life stages. They time their emergence with the seasons but face challenges when the timing is unsettled due to climate change. Tri-trophic interactions and moving to higher elevations also play important roles in their survival. These butterflies may seem delicate, but they're tough and resourceful in the face of unpredictable conditions.
Personal Note:
One of the things that was unexpected was that butterflies could be found in environments we had previously considered to be too extreme. We were also struck by how unpredictable field work could be and that you should be prepared for anything! We both agree that we will not forget our experience today. Overall, it has been incredibly fun and we look forward to being able to incorporate what we have learned into our curriculum.
Did you know?
Painted Ladies travel almost as far as monarchs? They are also super generalists- meaning they will eat just about everything!
Wendi Pillars teaches Earth Science and Biology at Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City, North Carolina.
Kristen Van Der Linden - 2023 Fellow
Kristen Van Der Linden teaches seniors Government and Economics at Bioscience High School in Phoenix, Arizona.
Science Blog:
Butterflies in the snow? Yes, indeed.
Today we witnessed butterflies fluttering in some snow-laden elevations in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which surprised us because we never really equated fragile butterflies with harsh wintry snow conditions at higher altitudes. What we learned is that butterflies have some pretty amazing tricks up their wings to survive the harsh winter conditions. They go through a process called overwintering, which is all about finding smart ways to stay alive when temperatures drop, food becomes scarce, and life gets tough. You might think butterflies are delicate creatures, but they've evolved incredible adaptations to be tough and resilient.
One survival strategy is migration, where some butterfly species like the monarch butterfly embark on long-distance journeys to warmer regions. These butterflies gather in big clusters on trees to keep warm and cozy during winter in places like Mexico or southern California. We only found one migrant butterfly today.
Other butterflies like the ones we found today, however, have different survival strategies. Some go into a special state called diapause, which is like a long winter nap. During diapause, their metabolism slows down, and they become less active. And get this—some butterflies choose to overwinter in different life stages, like eggs, caterpillars (larvae), or chrysalides (pupae). They time their life cycle perfectly to avoid (ideally) the harshest winter conditions. They might snuggle into protected areas like leaf litter under their host plant, beneath tree bark, or other hidden spots that keep them safe and warm from predators and freezing temperatures.
So how do these fragile butterflies manage to survive? Well, their life cycles are often in sync with the seasons, and a fancy way of saying that is phenological synchrony. If they emerge at just the right “calendar time” when the weather is warmer, and there's plenty of food around, it aids their survival. But with climate change causing unexpected weather patterns, this timing is no longer as anticipated, and they can’t always find the resources they need if they emerge too soon.
Another important factor is tri-trophic interactions, which is a fancy way of saying the relationship between plants, caterpillars, and predators or parasitoids. Sometimes, butterflies emerge too early when there's still snow on the ground and their food isn’t “ready”, the parasitoids may not be active yet, or the mismatched life cycles of each can make survival harder for them and affect their populations.
To top it all off, some butterflies can move to higher elevations, or upslope, as temperatures warm up. It's like climbing a mountain to find a comfy spot. As they move up, they follow the climate they like and avoid unfavorable conditions. But not all butterflies can do this—some are limited by specific needs, like certain host plants or other ecological constraints.
The butterflies we found today have admirable survival strategies. They migrate, go into a deep winter nap called diapause, and overwinter in different life stages. They time their emergence with the seasons but face challenges when the timing is unsettled due to climate change. Tri-trophic interactions and moving to higher elevations also play important roles in their survival. These butterflies may seem delicate, but they're tough and resourceful in the face of unpredictable conditions.
Personal Note:
One of the things that was unexpected was that butterflies could be found in environments we had previously considered to be too extreme. We were also struck by how unpredictable field work could be and that you should be prepared for anything! We both agree that we will not forget our experience today. Overall, it has been incredibly fun and we look forward to being able to incorporate what we have learned into our curriculum.
Did you know?
Painted Ladies travel almost as far as monarchs? They are also super generalists- meaning they will eat just about everything!