Research lines

Painted lady biology

Our research group has been leading the study of the long-range migration of the Painted lady, Vanessa cardui, whose populations make a spectacular annual movement between the African and European continents.

By combining CBMS data with active research in North Africa and with the collaboration of other research groups, it has been possible to make very important contributions to the understanding of the migratory phenomenon of this species. In recent years we have established a precise phenological pattern of migrations and discovered the relationship between long-distance movements and meteorology. With the help of entomological radar, we have shown that migratory movements usually take place hundreds of meters above the ground, taking advantage of tailwinds. With the use of stable isotopes, we are delving deeper into the migration routes and the origin of the migrants who arrive in the different destination areas. This is essential to understanding how the abundance of this iconic butterfly is related to environmental conditions.

The regular surveys we carry out in North Africa have made it possible to delve deeper into many aspects related to the migratory ecology of Vanessa cardui, such as the existence of a return flight to the African continent during the autumn.

Recommended references:

• Hu, G., Stefanescu, C., Oliver, T.H., Roy, D.B., Brereton, T., van Swaay, C., Reynolds, D.R., Chapman, J.W. (2021). Environmental drivers of annual population fluctuations in a trans-Saharan insect migrant. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 118(26):e2102762118.
• Pollard, E., van Swaay, C.A.M., Stefanescu, C., Lundsten, K.E., Maes, D., Greatorex-Davies, J.N. (1998). Migration of the painted lady butterfly Cynthia cardui in Europe: evidence from monitoring. Diversity and Distributions, 4: 243-253.
• Stefanescu, C. (1997). Migration patterns and feeding resources of the Painted Lady butterfly, Cynthia cardui (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalinae) in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Miscel·lània zoològica, 20.2: 31-48.
• Stefanescu, C., Alarcón, M., Àvila, M. (2007). Migration of the painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui, to north-eastern Spain is aided by African wind currents. Journal of Animal Ecology, 76: 888-898.
• Stefanescu, C., Askew, R.R., Corbera, J., Shaw, M.R. (2012). Parasitism and migration in southern Palaearctic populations of the painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui. European Journal of Entomology, 109: 85-94.
• Stefanescu, C., Julià, Ll. (2002). Adults de Cynthia cardui atacats per ocells insectívors, amb comentaris sobre la migració primaveral de ropalòcers a l’illa de l’Aire. Butlletí de la Societat Catalana de Lepidopterologia, 87: 45-50.
• Stefanescu, C., Páramo, F. (2010). Frogs eat butterflies: temporary prey-specialization on the Painted Lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui, by Sahara frog, Pelophylax saharicus, in the Moroccan Anti Atlas. Nota lepidopterologica, 33: 127-131.
• Stefanescu, C., Páramo, F., Åkesson, S., Alarcón, M., Ávila, A., Brereton, T., Carnicer, J., Cassar, L., Fox, R., Heliölä, J., Hill, J.K., Hirneisen, N., Kjellén, N., Kühn, E., Kuussaari, M., Leskinen, M., Liechti, F., Musche, M., Regan, E., Reynolds, D., Roy, D.B., Ryrholm, N., Schmaljohann, H., Settele, J., Thomas, CD, van Swaay, C., Chapman, J. (2013). Multi-generational long-distance migration in insects: studying the painted lady butterfly in the Western Palaearctic. Ecography, 36: 474-486. DOI 10.1111/j.1600-0587.2012.07738.x
• Stefanescu, C., Planes, J., Páramo, F. (2014). Les grans migracions de la papallona migradora dels cards, Vanessa cardui, als Països Catalans a finals del segle XIX. Butlletí de la Societat Catalana de Lepidopterologia, 104: 15-24.
• Stefanescu, C., Puig-Montserrat, X., Samraoui, B., Izquierdo, R., Ubach, A., Arrizabalaga, A. (2017). Back to Africa: autumn migration of the painted lady butterfly Vanessa cardui is timed to coincide with an increase in resource availability. Ecological Entomology, 42: 737-747. DOI 10.1111/een.12442
• Stefanescu, C., Soto, D.X., Talavera, G., Vila, R., Hobson, K.A. (2016). Long-distance autumn migration across the Sahara by painted lady butterflies: exploiting resource pulses in the tropical savannah. Biology Letters, 12. DOI 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0561.
• Stefanescu, C., Ubach, A., Wiklund, C. (2021). Timing of mating, reproductive status and resource availability in relation to migration in the painted lady butterfly. Animal Behaviour, 172: 145-153.