Page 112 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

Q&A

Q NEW SCIENCE
Q INSECTS
Can other animals be Whydomale The blind
chase
the blind.
conscientious? butterflies chase
other butterfly species?
A Yes, according to a study malesticklebacks that build A Males of several butterfly species, notably
by scientists at the neater, more compact peacocks, small tortoiseshells (above), red
University of nestsshow increased admirals and speckled woods in the UK, guard
California, Male sticklebacks reproductive a patch of sunlight as their private territory.
Berkeley. The build the riverbed success, orb They flyuptosee off other passing males, but
family home.
researchers weaving spiders hope to engage in courtship with a female
examined some that construct should she chance by. Butterfly eyes (as with
4,000 their webs with other insects) are well-adapted to detect
behavioural greater motion, but their interpretation of shape and
studies precision snare colour and the landscape around is probably
covering an more prey, and highly pixellated at best. Consequently, they
enormous honeybees that don’t really know what they’re seeing off until
variety of cleantheir hives they get quite close, and will regularly flyup
species, looking of carcasses raise a to investigate other butterflies, bumblebees,
for evidence of greater number of dragonflies, birds and even the occasional
attributes such as offspring. The aeroplane. The behaviour does allow a neat
self-discipline, neatness scientistsdivided the trick to tell the sex of a butterfly without
and tenacity. concept of conscientousness needing to peer closely: simply lob asmall
They discovered that many species into two main categories – ‘order and pebble about 1–2m over the top of a resting
demonstrate some form of industriousness’ and ‘achievement striving butterfly. Ifitsitstight it is a bored female, if
conscientiousness – and those that do reap and competence’. Birdsand insects it dashes up it is a keen, if myopic, male.
rewardswhen it comes to hunting, generally fell into the former; mammals RichardJones
feeding, defence and mating. For instance, into the latter. SM

Q MARINE BIOLOGY

Why do anemones

grow in patches

of colour?

A Distinct patches of colour in jewel anemones
Corynactis viridis or elegant anemones Sagartia
elegans is evidence of asexual reproduction.
Anemones can do this by either budding off smaller
animals or simply splitting into two separate ones.
Whichever method is used, the new anemone
is a clone of the former, retaining all the
characteristics of its parent, including colour.
As the anemones continue to split they take up Stickleback: Hartl/blickwinkel/A amy; butterfly: Stephen Dalton/naturepl.com; anemone: Alan James/naturepl.com
more and more space on the seabed until they meet
more of their own kind. In some species a battle
line is drawn where clones meet, with both sides
stinging one another until one finally retreats or
dies. A narrow no-man’s land is then established
between the two colonies. Thus, where
anemones dominate the habitat, a colourful
patchwork can develop over the rock face.
As elegant anemones Matt Doggett
multiply, a carpet of pink
spreads over the seabed.

112 BBC Wildlife August 2017