The Factors Affecting the Migration of Butterflies (Essay Sample)

The Factors Affecting the Migration of Butterflies
In order for butterflies to procreate and feed, stable and specific set of conditions of living is very crucial. Butterflies will have purposeful medium and long distance movements in search of such living conditions. The famous migrating species is known as the monarch butterfly. There are three levels that migration can occur: mass migration, regional expansion and localized dispersal. Various factors contributing to migration of butterflies include
Food
There is a strong relationship between plants and migrating butterflies, such plants are the ones the butterflies rely on for shelter and food. The summer and spring months are the most conducive for thriving of most butterflies since flowers are budding. This implies that there is a lot of food for the butterflies and pupa to feed on. However, changes in seasons might lead to low food supply, thus butterflies will migrate in search for new areas which guarantee for stable sources of food.
Reproduction
Butterflies mostly breed in their specific areas of preference. Thus during reproduction seasons butterflies have a routine of migrating. The migration is often to established breeding places, these sites are often close to where mature butterflies emerge. In case an old breeding site is interfered with or destroyed, the course of migration is changed in search of new sites for breeding.
Sun
During butterflies migration the sun plays a very crucial role; acting as a compass. Butterflies use suns polarized light rays for calculating the sun’s direction. Such polarized light is not visible to human eye. However, the butterflies use the light to come up with the migratory direction. Thus sun is an essential tool in determining the proper migration route and direction for migrating butterflies.
Climate
For procreation and survival, most butterflies’ species prefer certain climatic conditions. The main climatic factors which affect migration habits of butterflies are altitude, humidity and temperature. Being cold blooded, the temperature of a butterfly is controlled by the temperature of its environment. For proper body processes during mating, temperatures of the environment must be at least warm enough for the maintenance of favorable temperatures of the butterfly’s body. Butterflies have strict temperature requirements and narrow tolera...