Top 3 Butterfly Species with Significant Range Shifts

Climate change is driving notable range expansions and rapid shifts in several butterfly species globally, making them key indicators of environmental change.

The top 3

  1. Tawny Coster: Fastest Expanding Butterfly: The Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsicore), native to the Indian subcontinent, has rapidly expanded its range across South Asia into Australia at a speed of 135 km per year.
  2. Painted Lady: Longest Migratory Route: The Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) undertakes the world's farthest known butterfly migratory route, a phenomenal 9,000-mile round trip from tropical Africa to the Arctic Circle.
  3. Scarce Swallowtail: Spreading in Europe: In Germany, thermophilic species like the Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) are observed to be spreading as a result of climate change.

Sources

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