Magnetic Butterflies A Case Study of the Monarch (Lepidoptera, Danaidae)

Abstract

The search for magnetic material in organisms has encompassed a wide spectrum of the biosphere from bacteria to humans. Until recently, the presence of the principal organically synthesized magnetic mineral, magnetite, was known only from a few phyla (Lowenstam, 1981). As is evident from the other contributions in this volume, the last few years have witnessed a large body of research dealing with the detection of magnetic material and subsequent behavioral experiments for all of the vertebrate classes. However, similar studies involving the detection of biogenic magnetite in many invertebrate phyla and of the interactions of magnetic fields and behavioral responses are relatively scarce. This paper discusses recent biomagnetic research concerning lepidopterans, focusing upon the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus.