Higher temperatures may make monarch butterflies more vulnerable to parasites, according to new research from the University of Georgia.
Higher temperatures may make monarch butterflies more vulnerable to parasites, according to new research from the University of Georgia.
Monarch infections with the parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha have skyrocketed, more than tripling since 2002. Discovered in the 1960s, the parasite can cause smaller wingspans, lower weight and shorter lifespans in adult monarchs. Infection can also affect the insect’s ability to complete its annual migration.
The study found that monarchs exposed to elevated temperatures were 22% less tolerant of infection.
“What does tolerance of an infection mean? If you have the flu, it’s the difference between you being in the hospital or just having a stuffy nose,” said Sonia Altizer, lead author of the study and entomology department head in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Monarchs took a bigger hit if they were infected when temperatures were higher.”
Read more at: University of Georgia
A monarch caterpillar feasts on tropical milkweed. (Photo Credit: Sonia Altizer)
