Hill-topping (biology) in the context of Lek (mating arena)

⭐ Core Definition: Hill-topping (biology)

Hilltopping (also spelt hill-topping) is a mate-location behaviour seen in many insects including butterflies, dragonflies, bumblebees, wasps, beetles and flies.

Males of many butterfly species may be found flying up to and staying on a hilltop - for days on end if necessary. Females, desirous of mating, fly up the hill. Males dash around the top, competing for the best part of the area - usually the very top; as the male with the best territory at the top of the hill would have the best chance of mating with the occasional female, who knows the "top male" must be strong and thus genetically fit. Many authors consider this as a form of lekking behaviour. Many butterfly species including swallowtails, nymphalids, metal-marks and lycaenids are known to hill-top.

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Hill-topping (biology) in the context of Australian painted lady

The Australian painted lady (Vanessa kershawi) is a species of butterfly mostly confined to Australia, although westerly winds have dispersed it to islands east of Australia, including New Zealand. Debate surrounds the taxonomy of this species. Some believe that the Australian painted lady should be a subspecies of the painted lady (Vanessa cardui) due to the similarity in lifestyle and behaviour. Furthermore, the painted lady is found around the globe, but Australia is the only location in which it varies enough to be considered a separate species.

However, due to the distinct genitalia of the males, and variation in colouration, many others consider the Australian painted lady to be a separate species. During spring, adult butterflies migrate south in large numbers from northern states of Queensland and New South Wales. To find mates, male Australian painted ladies exhibit territorial behaviour, which involves a male perching on vegetation in a sunny spot on a hilltop, waiting for females to fly by.

View the full Wikipedia page for Australian painted lady

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Hill-topping (biology) in the context of Lek (mating arena)

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⭐ Core Definition: Hill-topping (biology)

Hill-topping (biology) in the context of Australian painted lady