Ologies with Alie Ward Lepidopterology (BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS) — Encore Presentation with Phil Torres
Mar 25, 2020
Phil Torres, lepidopterologist, jungle explorer, and science communicator, recounts field discoveries and weird insect behavior. He chats about canopy collecting, fermented baits that get butterflies drunk, moths that drink blood, and shocking gross habits like puddling and feeding on carcasses. He also covers metamorphosis, finding new species, monarch migration, and which plants actually help pollinators.
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Trees Falling Are The Jungle's Biggest Threat
- Falling trees and wind are the most dangerous rainforest hazards, not large predators.
- Phil described sprinting a mile back to camp through falling branches during a fierce storm and narrowly dodging a falling tree on the trail.
Males Gift Salt And Poison To Females
- Male butterflies provide nuptial gifts like salt or toxic compounds within spermatophores to boost female egg survival.
- Males seek sodium (mud, urine, carnivore feces) or rare toxic nectars that confer defense to females and eggs.
Butterfly Peeed Then Drank On My Finger
- Phil watched a butterfly pee on his sweaty finger and drink the resulting salt solution repeatedly.
- This behavior shows butterflies will exploit human sweat as a sodium source when foraging.