Writing this, I realise the last time I put (virtual) pen to paper, was back in October 2021! Lots has happened on our project on heatwave effects on butterfly fertility generously funded by the British Ecological Society. I wrote how thanks to all of the efforts that Luke Crosby put last summer, we have a healthy number of pupating large white butterflies (Pieris brassicae). Jamie and Electra, my two master students, have been setting up experiments to induce the end of diapause in some of the pupae. Their efforts have started to pay off as you can see in this image. Meanwhile, Jamie is also working on fine-tuning the micro-heater for our heatwave experiments, and Electra is working on designing behavioural experiments on how caterpillars regulate their body temperature using their posture and location. Next week, a new student will join us from the University of Pavia, Italy, Sofia Gigliotti. Sofia is an Erasmus student and will help Jamie and Electra look after the pupae, be involved in the experiments and hopefully have a good time too!
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AuthorGraziella Iossa Archives
August 2023
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