Genomic insights: How female butterflies alter investment in attractiveness vs. fecundity

Have you ever wondered why and how butterflies exhibit such beautiful and diverse colors? Scientists have, particularly butterflies in the genus Colias. In most Colias butterflies, all males and most females are an orange or yellow color, but some females are white. These white forms, called Alba, are commonly found in every generation, making up 5 percent to 30 percent of females. This is unexpected because orange/yellow wing color is an important signal for mate recognition, thus Alba females should be at a disadvantage. For nearly a century, scientists have been working to understand why and how Alba females arise and are maintained within butterfly populations.

from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/35yNSwF