Red Barn Event: Western Monarchs - Migration, Adaptation, and Resilience
This presentation by Dr. David G. James will provide the results of recent research on the migration biology of Monarchs in the Pacific Northwest, as well as insights into the ability of Monarchs to adapt to a warming climate. Despite reports to the contrary, the Monarch does not face irretrievable doom and gloom. Instead, it is a shining example of how an insect can alter its biology to better suit a changing environment. Threats do exist to Monarch survival (pesticides, host plant loss, parasites) however, none are overwhelming. A holistic view of Monarch biology and ecology better describes the ability of this species to persist and show resilience.
DAVID G JAMES, PhD became a lepidopterist at 8 years old by rearing caterpillars in his English bedroom. A science degree in the UK was followed by a PhD on Monarch winter biology in Sydney, Australia and a lifetime of applied entomological research (biological control, chemical ecology, pest management) punctuated with biological studies on butterflies. In 2011, he co-authored an acclaimed book on the Life Histories of Cascadia Butterflies, that David Attenborough called magisterial. Since 1999, he has researched the breeding ecology and migration of monarchs in the western US.