preprints.org > biology and life sciences > insect science > doi: 10.20944/preprints202311.1920.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 29 November 2023 / Approved: 30 November 2023 / Online: 30 November 2023 (04:10:46 CET)

Temperature increases mediated through climate change threaten the survival of species. It is of foremost importance to engage citizens and future generations in understanding the mechanisms through which temperatures imposes its affect. For educators though this is not straight forward as tools for examined the impact of temperature over the lifetime of an animal are prohibitively expensive. At the same time environmental educators need guidance on the appropriate study systems to use with a balance between the species having an obvious response and ensuring the outcomes are ethical and sustainable. In our study, we created and tested a cost-effective experiment meant to be used for environmental education purposes. More specifically, we tested the sensitivity of the Painted lady butterfly Vanessa cardui to temperature variations using a homemade incubator. We describe the design of this experiment and report findings on survival rate, morphological variations, pupation time, and wingspan of adults across a range of biologically relevant temperatures. The information provided give educators options for testing a variety of hypotheses with regards to the impacts of temperature using an affordable and flexible set-up. Furthermore, the findings can be used by students to develop an understanding of the ramifications of the butterflies responses in an ecological context.

active learning; development; phenology; pollinator; climate change; incubator; survival rate; pupation time; butterfly

Biology and Life Sciences, Insect Science

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