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Insects
Special Issues
Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies
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Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Ecology, Diversity and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2026 | Viewed by 4903

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marcin Sielezniew

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Biodiversity and Behavioural Ecology, University of Bialystok, 15-328 Białystok, Poland
Interests: biogeography; butterflies; nymphalidae; lycaenidae; gentiana pneumonanthe; myrmica; population ecology of butterflies; Phengaris; maculinea; phylogeography and population genetics of butterflies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Butterflies make up only 10% of all Lepidoptera, but are among the most charismatic and intensively studied insects. They are a model group in such diverse fields as phylogeography, population ecology, behaviour and mimicry. They demonstrate extraordinary diversity in terms of behaviour and mobility, ranging from sedentary species to transcontinental migrants, from ubiquitous to specialist, often monophagous, and sometimes requiring additional resources, e.g., associated ants in myrmecophilous species. They are also unique arthropods as a major subject of citizen science. Butterflies—despite some being identified as pests—most often attract public attention in the context of conservation. They respond sensitively to environmental changes resulting from human activity as well as to climate change. The decline of butterflies has been observed over practically all of the world, although it is best documented in the temperate climate zone of the northern hemisphere. In conservation, they are not only a goal on their own, but also an important ‘umbrella’ and indicator species.

This Special Issue welcomes all papers on butterflies, especially those aimed at better understanding their ecology and diversity (including genetics) in the aspect of conservation. Basic research as well as practical protective measures and their evaluation will be equally valuable. There are no limits regarding biotopes and geography. Interspecies interactions, e.g., with larval food plants, host ants and parasitoids, are also within the scope of interest.

Dr. Marcin Sielezniew
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • butterflies
  • population ecology
  • behavioural ecology
  • conservation genetics
  • conservation management
  • monitoring

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1782 KB  
Article
Comparing Machine Learning Using UAVs to Ground Survey Methods to Quantify Milkweed Stem Density and Habitat Characteristics in ROWs
by Adam M. Baker, Greg Emerick, Christie Bahlai and Scott Eikenbary
Insects 2026, 17(4), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17040359 - 25 Mar 2026
Viewed by 891
Abstract
Monarch butterflies have declined in both eastern and western populations. Conservation initiatives that support this imperiled species are being implemented in lands managed by the energy and transportation sectors. Vegetation management strategies that encourage the presence of milkweed (Asclepias spp.), the larval [...] Read more.
Monarch butterflies have declined in both eastern and western populations. Conservation initiatives that support this imperiled species are being implemented in lands managed by the energy and transportation sectors. Vegetation management strategies that encourage the presence of milkweed (Asclepias spp.), the larval host of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), or floral resources to support pollinators are being practiced across North America; however, survey methods to evaluate the success of these strategies vary in accuracy and scalability. In this study, we compared five methods to quantify milkweed stem density and land cover estimates: (1) Site al, (2) Transect plot, (3) Square plot, (4) Large transect (informed by the Monarch CCAA methodology), and (5) Machine learning of images collected by UAVs. These methods encompass full coverage ground counts, partial ground counts, and aerial imagery using object-based image analysis. Sites included distribution, transmission, and gas line ROWs, solar arrays, and transportation easements. We found that Site al and Machine learning most consistently quantified milkweed stem density across sites. Partial ground count methods were likely to over or underestimate milkweed populations. Habitat characteristics (woody, broadleaf, grass, and bare ground) estimates were inconsistent across method and site. The intent of this study was to provide land managers with insight as to the most accurate, efficient, and economical approach to quantify milkweed populations and habitat characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies)
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11 pages, 481 KB  
Article
Impacts of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Leaf Age on Larval Monarch (Danaus plexippus) Survival, Growth, Development, and Feeding Behavior
by Kelsey E. Fisher, Caleb B. Bryan, Cody Acevedo, Kevin E. Anderson, Kira M. Goldman, Karena Kulakowski, Samantha N. Shimota and Steven P. Bradbury
Insects 2026, 17(2), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17020215 - 19 Feb 2026
Viewed by 699
Abstract
Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) is the sole host plant for monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) larvae, yet its quality varies within and among individual plants. This study examined how leaf position, used as a proxy for leaf age, on Asclepias syriaca influences [...] Read more.
Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) is the sole host plant for monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) larvae, yet its quality varies within and among individual plants. This study examined how leaf position, used as a proxy for leaf age, on Asclepias syriaca influences monarch larval performance and feeding behavior. We found that younger leaves from the tops of milkweed stems had higher nitrogen levels and were easier to consume than older, lower leaves. Larvae that fed on top leaves grew larger, developed faster, and exhibited consistently higher survival rates, although the magnitude of these effects was modest. In choice bioassays, both neonates and third instars showed preference for younger leaf tissue, suggesting larvae can differentiate leaf types. These findings indicate that within-plant variation in milkweed quality can affect monarch fitness. Because milkweed quality declines as plants mature, periodic disturbance (e.g., mowing or burning) that promotes regrowth may improve leaf quality and larval performance. However, such practices involve trade-offs, including potential impacts on other species and potential disruption or diapause cues and migration timing. Selective or rotational mowing may offer a more sustainable approach by balancing regrowth benefits with preservation of natural phenological cues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies)
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16 pages, 4019 KB  
Article
Diel Versus Seasonal Butterfly Community Partitioning in a Hyperdiverse Tropical Rainforest
by Sebastián Mena, Janeth Rentería and María F. Checa
Insects 2025, 16(12), 1247; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121247 - 10 Dec 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 710
Abstract
Ecological theory suggests that interspecific interactions and environmental heterogeneity promote temporal niche partitioning, whereby species segregate their activity along diel and seasonal axes. For ectotherms, temperature is a critical niche dimension because heat availability regulates activity and phenology. Here, we used data from [...] Read more.
Ecological theory suggests that interspecific interactions and environmental heterogeneity promote temporal niche partitioning, whereby species segregate their activity along diel and seasonal axes. For ectotherms, temperature is a critical niche dimension because heat availability regulates activity and phenology. Here, we used data from a hyperdiverse rainforest in the Ecuadorian Amazon to compare community dynamics across two temporal scales and to test their relationship with temperature fluctuations. Butterflies were periodically sampled using Pollard walks in a permanent plot over eight field campaigns spanning two years. We compared environmental temperature fluctuations, diversity metrics, and niche-overlap estimates of community assemblages at both diel and seasonal scales. We recorded 1003 individuals representing 222 species. Temperature differences among seasons were comparable to those observed across times of day. Consistently, our analyses revealed distinct community assemblages across both diel and seasonal scales. Furthermore, butterfly activity tended to increase during warmer hours and in warmer seasons, yet overlap in activity within these timeframes was low at both the species and subfamily levels. These results highlight the contribution of both abiotic drivers and biotic interactions in structuring butterfly temporal abundance. More broadly, our study underscores the importance of explicitly considering temporal dimensions when examining tropical biodiversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies)
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17 pages, 1328 KB  
Article
Population Structure of Morpho helenor peleides (Kollar, 1850) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) Under Different Land Uses in the Caribbean Region of Colombia
by Carlos Elías Altamar-Bolívar, Juan David González-Trujillo, Luis G. Quijano-Cuervo, María Inés Moreno-Pallares and Neis José Martínez-Hernández
Insects 2025, 16(12), 1243; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121243 - 9 Dec 2025
Viewed by 833
Abstract
Morpho butterflies have the potential to act as a bioindicator species, since they are sensitive to changes in land uses and forest degradation; there have been few population studies of butterflies in the Caribbean region of Colombia. In this study, we aimed to [...] Read more.
Morpho butterflies have the potential to act as a bioindicator species, since they are sensitive to changes in land uses and forest degradation; there have been few population studies of butterflies in the Caribbean region of Colombia. In this study, we aimed to analyze and characterize the population structure of M. helenor peleides and evaluate its variation across different land uses. We used the capture-mark and release technique, with 50 VanSomeren–Rydon type traps distributed in five sampling units with different land uses (forest, restoration areas, and pasture areas); temperature and luminosity were also measured. Butterflies were wing-marked and subsequently released. Sampling was carried out between June and September 2023. Jolly–Seber population models were constructed using the R code to obtain population size (Ni), survival rate, and recruitment; also, other parameters were analyzed (abundance of the imagines, average sex ratio-ASR, displacement, permanence, and age). A total of 876 butterflies were tagged and released, and 33.7% were recaptured. Butterfly abundance was concentrated in conserved sampling units in the forest. The Ni ranged from 25 to 845 individuals within the population, and individual displacement and permanence were restricted in the forest, ASR was significantly male-skewed. The land use directly influenced the population structure of M. helenor peleides, suggesting that conserved areas are key to population persistence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies)
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18 pages, 9284 KB  
Article
Eastern Arc of Glacial Relict Species—Population Genetics of Violet Copper Lycaena helle Butterfly in East-Central Europe
by Cristian Sitar, Marcin Sielezniew, Adam Malkiewicz, Zdenek Faltynek Fric, Martin Konvička and Hana Konvickova
Insects 2025, 16(12), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121202 - 26 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1141
Abstract
We studied Lycaena helle (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) population genetics in lowlands and mountains of East-Central Europe using the microsatellite markers previously applied in population studies mainly in mountains of Western Europe. As in the West, the East-Central populations are genetically diverse (mean expected/observed heterozygosity [...] Read more.
We studied Lycaena helle (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) population genetics in lowlands and mountains of East-Central Europe using the microsatellite markers previously applied in population studies mainly in mountains of Western Europe. As in the West, the East-Central populations are genetically diverse (mean expected/observed heterozygosity 0.67/0.49), affected by drift processes (mean inbreeding coefficient 0.277) and widely differentiated (mean FST 0.209). The Polish lowland populations, all of them bivoltine in contrast to mountain populations, are less differentiated than Romanian populations, which are bivoltine in low and univoltine in high altitudes. The lowland Romanian population Vad is extremely genetically impoverished. A transferred CZ population from Western Europe is impoverished relative to its donor population, but the genetic parameters remain within a range of other studied so far. Dendrogram of allelic frequencies suggests that the populations form two branches, one rooted in southeastern Poland and branching towards Carpathians in Romania, one encompassing populations in central and northern Poland. We conclude that the lowland Romanian populations, plus populations in unglaciated southeastern Poland, represent sites where the species survived the glacial cycles in situ, comprising rear edge of subsequent upslope expansion, while northern Poland was colonised from more easterly regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Conservation of Butterflies)
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