Courtship and Mating in Butterflies

This book presents a readable account of butterfly behavior, based on field observations, great photographs and the latest research. The main focus is on courtship and mating - including perching, searching and territorial behavior - but to understand these subjects it is necessary to explain how mates are chosen and this requires sections on wing colors and patterns. A chapter on butterfly vision is also essential in terms of how butterflies see the world and each other. There have been exciting discoveries in all of these fields in recent years, including: butterfly vision (butterfly photoreceptors), wing patterns (molecular biology), wing coloration (structural colors and nano-architecture), mating strategies and female choice (ecology and behavior).