Movements and occurrence in two closely related fritillary species

Abstract

Mobility may affect species' distribution patterns in heterogeneous landscapes, and it might impact fitness by influencing mating success, predation avoidance, and foraging success. Here, we studied causes and consequences of mobility patterns in butterflies: Argynnis adippe, a specialist constrained to warm microhabitats within woodland landscapes, and A. aglaja, a relative generalist that also inhabits grasslands, and tolerates lower temperatures. We explored associations of movement and occurrence patterns, population size and density, niche breadth, wing size, and different types of behaviour prior to capture by conducting a mark‐release‐recapture study on the Swedish island Öland. We marked 1 935 A. aglaja and 123 A. adippe and achieved recapture rates of 9.5% (A. aglaja), and 8.9% (A. adippe). Estimated population densities were 5 066 and 814 individuals per km2, for A. aglaja and A. adippe, respectively. Argynnis aglaja was less likely to perform long‐distance flights according to estimated dispersal kernels, hinting at negative density‐dependent dispersal in these species. Although we detected the longest flight distances ever in these species in MRR studies (11.9 km for A. aglaja and 3.7 km for A. adippe), most butterflies were recaptured within 200 meters (60–80%). Low recapture rates along with low estimated residence times and the potential for long movement might indicate that many individuals left the study area, and that the species form open populations, stretching over large areas. Despite significant differences in wing size and behaviour types, mean observed flight distances were similar in these species.