First evidence for an Amazonian insect migration in the butterfly Panacea prola (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Insect migrations rival those of vertebrates in terms of numbers of migrating individuals and even biomass, although instances of the former are comparatively poorly documented. This is especially true in the worlds tropics, which harbor the vast majority of Earths insect species. Understanding these mass movements is of critical and increasing importance as global climate and land use change accelerate and interact to alter the environmental cues that underlie migration, particularly in the tropics. Here, we provide the first evidence for an insect migration for the nymphalid butterfly Panacea prola in the Amazon, the worlds largest and most biodiverse rainforest that is experiencing a shifting climate and rapid forest loss.