Researcher flags concern about tag weight burden on insects
4 Oct 27 11:19 PM · 15d ago · 1 comment · 1 source · development 4 of 6
A commenter raises a technical concern that the tracking tags, even at 60 milligrams, represent approximately 10% of a monarch butterfly's body weight—equivalent to a 6 kg backpack on a 60 kg human—potentially significant for insects undertaking long-distance migration.
“Even at 60 mg it's a significant additional burden for the butterfly, I'd expect. Even if you only take the heaviest Monarch butterflies that weigh in about 600 mg, it is 10% of their body weight.”
GeertBCanadian Wildlife Federation Research communicatorBluMorpho Technology providerMonarch Watch / Monarch Research Research organizations
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The article made it seem that the tags way on the order of half a gram, but that would be about the butterfly's weight. Even at 60 mg it's a significant additional burden for the butterfly, I'd expect. Even if you only take the heaviest Monarch butterflies that weigh in about 600 mg, it is 10% of their body weight. Like an 6 kg backpack for a…
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