A week ago, I wrote how Danette and I saw thousands of butterflies migrating north following Hwy 101 as we were driving south to Monterey county. These butterflies are currently passing through Contra Costa County. This past Sunday, I ran the 10 mile Contra Costa Canal Trail loop in Walnut Creek. During my 2 hour run, I counted ~1250 butterflies that fluttered pass me.Contra Costa Times, columnist Gary Bogue wrote in his column today:
Thousands, perhaps millions of painted lady butterflies are migrating through the Bay Area this month, on their way north from where they hatched in Southern California desert areas. The northward-migrating butterflies can fly from Southern California desert area to Davis in three days. Their scientific name is Vanessa cardui.
"These butterflies are powered by yellow fat carried over from the caterpillar stage, and fly like 'bats out of hell' from (southeast) to (northwest) a few feet off the ground, not stopping for food or sex until their fat reserves become depleted," says Art Shapiro, a UC Davis professor of evolution and ecology.
Wow! This must be the IRON BUTTERFLY event. I'll try to remember the image of the butterfly come 8/1/09 when I am doing my IRONMAN event. The article says that beginning in August, the movement reverses and the butterflies head back south toward their desert wintering grounds. Sonoma County where Vineman is held is somewhat in the northwest. So hopefully I'll see the painted ladies during my bike and run for inspiration.
2 comments:
It is amazing that such a small animal can accomplish such feats of endurance. There is a bird, the bar-tailed godwit, that flies 9 days non-stop over 7,000 miles in 9 days, 24 hours a day. Puts any race I will ever do to shame.
http://racn4acure.blogspot.com/2008/10/ultra-marathoner.html
I read your post on the bar-tailed godwit. Funny! I don't think your fat logic works on humans.
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