Butterflies in Space, Monarch, Flight, Wide Angle, 12-04-09, BioServe

The "Butterflies in Space" experiment by BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado. This experiment was made possible through the support of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) and the Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). Larvae and technical assistance provided by Monarch Watch, Butterfly Pavilion, and Clearwater Butterfly.

This habitat is getting tight! In this video one of the butterflies grabs onto the last chrysalis and dislodges it from the wall. It floats around a bit and even seems as if it is flying while it clutches to the poor thing. After that, there are some attempts at flying. Imagine if these things had free rein outside their habitats in the ISS, what a sight that would be! Our scientists are a bit worried for the welfare of the remaining chrysalis. The delicate wings of the butterfly immediately following emergence can easily be damaged by the two behemoths in there right now. Lets hope it can grasp a wall and stay out of the way once it emerges.

Category:

Science & Technology

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