Is
Some Nectar Important to Some Monarchs
During the Winter?
It
is common to see butterflies drinking from flowers in the over-wintering
area. One might quickly conclude that YES, nectar is important. A study
by Dr. Lincoln Brower and Eduardo Rendon disagrees: Monarchs that
are visiting flowers are starving to death, they believe. Those
butterflies are "running out of gas." They resort to nectar
in a futile attempt to stay alive. In contrast, the monarchs clustered
in the trees are healthy and don’t need nectar. They still have
enough stored lipids. Here’s information and data from their research:
- Scientists
Don't Always Agree
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Photos
Courtesy of Dr. Lincoln Brower, Sweet Briar College |
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