Butterfly fecundity and longevity monitoring (Nymphalidae)

Knowledge graph centered on Butterfly fecundity and longevity monitoring (Nymphalidae) with 74 nodes and 164 connections. Top connected: Ligusticum porteri, Spruce, phenological mismatch, Lepidoptera, Apis mellifera.

Method synopsis

Daily monitoring of individual female butterflies including artificial feeding with sucrose solution and daily egg collection. Measures lifetime reproductive output and adult lifespan under controlled conditions.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 4 papers using this protocol.

Procedure from a recent peer-reviewed implementation

Steps below were extracted from the most recent peer-reviewed implementation of this protocol in the corpus — Carry-over effects of larval food stress on adult energetics and life history in a nectar-feeding butterfly (2022), Ecological Entomology. The protocol was originally introduced by Effects of size at metamorphosis on stonefly fecundity, longevity, and reproductive success (1998), Oecologia. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Monitor daily fecundity and feeding
   Females fed twice daily with 25% v/v sucrose water using Hamilton syringe on plastic plate with violet leaf for oviposition stimulation. Wings held with smooth forceps, feet touching plate, proboscis manually extended. Remaining volume measured with Hamilton syringe. Eggs collected every afternoon and adult lifespan calculated as calendar days when butterfly recorded alive
   Quantities: Twice daily feeding, daily egg collectionDuration: Daily throughout adult lifespanConditions: Greenhouse conditions maintained
   Equipment: Hamilton syringe, 25% v/v sucrose water, plastic plates, violet leaves, smooth forceps

Typical Equipment

• Hamilton syringe
• 25% v/v sucrose water
• plastic plates
• violet leaves

Output Measurements

• daily egg production
• lifetime fecundity
• adult lifespan
• food intake

Papers Using This Protocol (4)

Species Studied With This Protocol