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Monarch on the Move

#1
Zinjanthropos Offline
Within the last week I've noticed quite.a few Monarch butterflies flapping by whenever I've been out on the lake. I had to snag one with my net just to make sure it was a Monarch because I know they are similar looking to the Viceroy. No black bar marking across the hind wings indicates to me that they are definitely Monarchs. They also tend to glide more than the Viceroy.

I'm about 60 km north of the North Shore of Lake Ontario so I'm thinking the migration south has started.A long way and a few generations to go before Mexico. 

Anyways, I didn't want to say the Viceroy mimics the Monarch because it is my understanding that they both taste awful to unsuspecting predators. So who is actually copying who? Evolution seems to have given the same markings and taste to both butterflies in the adult stage. I know milkweed plays an important role inthe taste of the Monarch but I don't believe it's the same for Viceroys. The question of whether one is mimicking the other may be best unanswered. Some sort.of mutual adaptation that is similar in nature and benefit. Is there a word for this and where else.does.it happen?
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#3
RainbowUnicorn Offline
(Aug 26, 2018 05:11 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: Within the last week I've noticed quite.a few Monarch butterflies flapping by whenever I've been out on the lake. I had to snag one with my net just to make sure it was a Monarch because I know they are similar looking to the Viceroy. No black bar marking across the hind wings indicates to me that they are definitely Monarchs. They also tend to glide more than the Viceroy.

I'm about 60 km north of the North Shore of Lake Ontario so I'm thinking the migration south has started.A long way and a few generations to go before Mexico. 

Anyways, I didn't want to say the Viceroy mimics the Monarch because it is my understanding that they both taste awful to unsuspecting predators. So who is actually copying who? Evolution seems to have given the same markings and taste to both butterflies in the adult stage. I know milkweed plays an important role inthe taste of the Monarch but I don't believe it's the same for Viceroys. The question of whether one is mimicking the other may be best unanswered. Some sort.of mutual adaptation that is similar in nature and benefit. Is there a word for this and where else.does.it happen?

i should imagine convergent evolution where it relates directly to the mechnaism (the Quantum mechanics of quantum theory) is my laymans guess on probability.
what ever the most easily or abundent toxin with food or toxin food able to be adapted becomes the norm.
also(im no entamologist) possibly the migration pattern which appears to be genetic memory may have a very big effect on the insects ability to sustain its self in zones when other zones are incapable of supporting them.

i.e a lay over for several days in one state may increase the butterflys survivability rate percentage as an example from guessing e.g 30% to 60% given the time of year stays the same.

seasonal cycles that appear to rotate a bit and cycle through pattern shifts would kill off some things while something that is able to react to the weather change and lay-over may instantly gain a 50% species to species in crease of survivability.

if there is a bio-chem-engineer in the members they may be able to offer some info around toxicology similarity of cross species toxin evolution. though
given the multi billion dollar industry of pain medication they are all likely locked up under lock and key and only allowed out on christmas day.
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