Monarch Butterfly Research Articles

High Survivorship of First-Generation Monarch Butterfly Eggs to Third Instar Associated with a Diverse Arthropod Community.

Simple SummaryThe eastern migratory population of the monarch butterfly has been the focus of extensive conservation efforts in recent years. However, there are gaps in our knowledge about the survival of first, or spring generation, monarchs in their core areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. This is important because the spring generation represents the first stage of annual recovery from overwinter mortality. It is, therefore, an important stage for monarch conservation efforts. This study showed that, in the context of a complex arthropod community in north Texas, first generation monarch survival was high. The study found that survival was not directly related to predators on the host plant, but was higher on host plants that harbored a greater number and variety of other, non-predatory arthropods. This is possibly because the presence of alternate, preferable prey enabled monarch eggs and larvae to be overlooked by predators. The implication is that, at least in the southern U.S., monarch conservation should consider strategies that promote diverse functional arthropod communities.Based on surveys of winter roost sites, the eastern migratory population of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in North America appears to have declined in the last 20 years and this has prompted the implementation of numerous conservation strategies. However, there is little information on the survivorship of first-generation monarchs in the core area of occupancy in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana where overwinter population recovery begins. The purpose of this study was to determine the survivorship of first-generation eggs to third instars at a site in north Texas and to evaluate host plant arthropods for their effect on survivorship. Survivorship to third instar averaged 13.4% and varied from 11.7% to 15.6% over three years. The host plants harbored 77 arthropod taxa, including 27 predatory taxa. Despite their abundance, neither predator abundance nor predator richness predicted monarch survival. However, host plants upon which monarchs survived often harbored higher numbers of non-predatory arthropod taxa and more individuals of non-predatory taxa. These results suggest that ecological processes may have buffered the effects of predators and improved monarch survival in our study. The creation of diverse functional arthropod communities should be considered for effective monarch conservation, particularly in southern latitudes.

What North American Bees are Associated with Milkweed (Asclepias) Flowers?

Recent interest in protecting pollinators has led many organizations to plant milkweed to support monarch butterflies. However, little is known about what bee species might also benefit from milkweed plantings. Here I compile a list of bee species that have been collected on milkweed flowers. I compiled these data by searching large online databases and regional collections and supplementing with field collections. At least 282 different bee species have been collected on milkweed. Milkweed flowers can provide an important nectar resource for foraging bees, particularly in arid regions and in dry times of the year.

A citizen science project reveals contrasting latitudinal gradients of wing deformity and parasite infection of monarch butterflies in New Zealand

1. Host–parasite interactions represent complex relationships among species, often with considerable spatial variation. We examined latitudinal variation in the prevalence of monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) infection by the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha via a citizen science project in New Zealand. Parasitism by O. elektroscirrha can result in incomplete development causing mortality, or adult butterflies with deformed wings and reduced fitness.2. We established the existence of counter‐latitudinal clines of wing deformities and parasite prevalence in monarchs, which in New Zealand are non‐migratory. The prevalence of wing deformities increased with increasing latitude, whereas the prevalence of parasite infections decreased with increasing latitude. No parasitism was observed in our highest latitudinal location, while all butterfly samples were infected in the warmest and lowest latitudinal site. The prevalence of parasitism or wing deformity did not vary with the butterfly sex.3. Cold temperatures appear to independently affect the parasite and host butterfly development, with lower temperatures limiting parasite development and inducing wing deformities in butterflies. Other protozoan parasites display similar latitudinal clines that are thought to be temperature related.4. Environmental factors appear to independently influence insect populations through different mechanistic pathways. The high prevalence of parasite infections may affect butterfly fitness in warmer regions, but the cooler conditions at higher latitudes manifest as a major fitness cost, deformed wings. Monarch butterflies in New Zealand and around the world may perform better where it is not too hot (and optimal for these parasites), but not cold (where the pupae experience developmental issues).

Resilience or Catastrophe? A possible state change for monarch butterflies in western North America.

In the western United States, the population of migratory monarch butterflies is on the brink of collapse, having dropped from several million butterflies in the 1980s to ~2000 butterflies in the winter of 2020-2021. At the same time, a resident (non-migratory) monarch butterfly population in urban gardens has been growing in abundance. The new resident population is not sufficient to make up for the loss of the migratory population; there are still orders of magnitude fewer butterflies now than in the recent past. The resident population also probably lacks the demographic capacity to expand its range inland during summer months. Nonetheless, the resident population may have the capacity to persist. This sudden change emphasises the extent to which environmental change can have unexpected consequences, and how quickly these changes can happen. We hope it will provoke discussion about how we define resilience and viability in changing environments.

A Guide for Using Flight Simulators to Study the Sensory Basis of Long-Distance Migration in Insects.

Studying the routes flown by long-distance migratory insects comes with the obvious challenge that the animal’s body size and weight is comparably low. This makes it difficult to attach relatively heavy transmitters to these insects in order to monitor their migratory routes (as has been done for instance in several species of migratory birds. However, the rather delicate anatomy of insects can be advantageous for testing their capacity to orient with respect to putative compass cues during indoor experiments under controlled conditions. Almost 20 years ago, Barrie Frost and Henrik Mouritsen developed a flight simulator which enabled them to monitor the heading directions of tethered migratory Monarch butterflies, both indoors and outdoors. The design described in the original paper has been used in many follow-up studies to describe the orientation capacities of mainly diurnal lepidopteran species. Here we present a modification of this flight simulator design that enables studies of nocturnal long-distance migration in moths while allowing controlled magnetic, visual and mechanosensory stimulation. This modified flight simulator has so far been successfully used to study the sensory basis of migration in two European and one Australian migratory noctuid species.

Assaying lepidopteran flight directionality with non‐invasive methods that permit repeated use and release after testing

Abstract Research into lepidopteran flight behaviour using techniques such as disappearance bearing (DB) observations and flight simulator (FS) trials provide important information on how organisms orient using environmental cues. These techniques possess limitations, however, which preclude their use for rare or threatened species. DB observations limit the amount and diversity of data that can be collected from individuals. FS trials can be high risk, involving invasive, terminal procedures. We develop a new non‐invasive tethering technique for lepidopterans, demonstrate this method using eight different species and include a video tutorial. We describe the means necessary to conduct FS trials (open‐loop assay) and test the tethered butterflies from different species in outdoor FS tests. We describe the use of DB observations for assaying the directionality of free‐flying individuals (closed‐loop assay). We test our methods using fall migratory monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, and examine the flight orientation of the same individuals using both assay methods. Flight simulator and DB techniques each yield useful and complementary results when both are applied to the same individuals. Using both assays on the same individual, as part of our new ‘catch–test–release’ (CTR) method, permits the integrated acquisition of different types of behavioural information, in a manner not done previously. The non‐invasive CTR technique has significant implications for movement research with lepidopteran species of variable conservation status or that are considered pests. Our CTR technique aids conservation science by expanding the scope of species and the questions that can be tested, as individuals are re‐released into nature unharmed after experimentation.

Evaluating toxicity of Varroa mite (Varroa destructor)-active dsRNA to monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) larvae.

Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) are parasitic mites that, combined with other factors, are contributing to high levels of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony losses. A Varroa-active dsRNA was recently developed to control Varroa mites within honey bee brood cells. This dsRNA has 372 base pairs that are homologous to a sequence region within the Varroa mite calmodulin gene (cam). The Varroa-active dsRNA also shares a 21-base pair match with monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) calmodulin mRNA, raising the possibility of non-target effects if there is environmental exposure. We chronically exposed the entire monarch larval stage to common (Asclepias syriaca) and tropical (Asclepias curassavica) milkweed leaves treated with concentrations of Varroa-active dsRNA that are one- and ten-fold higher than those used to treat honey bee hives. This corresponded to concentrations of 0.025–0.041 and 0.211–0.282 mg/g leaf, respectively. Potassium arsenate and a previously designed monarch-active dsRNA with a 100% base pair match to the monarch v-ATPase A mRNA (leaf concentration was 0.020–0.034 mg/g) were used as positive controls. The Varroa mite and monarch-active dsRNA’s did not cause significant differences in larval mortality, larval or pupal development, pupal weights, or adult eclosion rates when compared to negative controls. Irrespective of control or dsRNA treatment, larvae that consumed approximately 7500 to 10,500-mg milkweed leaf within 10 to 12 days had the highest pupal weights. The lack of mortality and sublethal effects following dietary exposure to dsRNA with 21-base pair and 100% base pair match to mRNAs that correspond to regulatory genes suggest monarch mRNA may be refractory to silencing by dsRNA or monarch dsRNase may degrade dsRNA to a concentration that is insufficient to silence mRNA signaling.

Classification of color features in butterflies using the Support Vector Machine (SVM)

Research in digital images is expanding widely and includes several sectors. One sector currently being carried out research is in insects; specifically, butterflies are used as a dataset. A total of 890 types of butterflies divided into ten classes were used as a dataset and classified based on color. Ten types of butterflies include Danaus plexippus, Heliconius charitonius, Heliconius erato, Junonia coenia, Lycaena phlaeas, Nymphalis antiopa, Papilio cresphontes, Pieris rapae, Vanessa atalanta, Vanessa cardui. The process of extracting color features on butterfly wings uses the RGB method to become HSV color space with color quantization (CQ). The purpose of adding CQ is that the computation process is carried out faster without reducing the image's information. In the color feature extraction process, the image is converted into 3-pixel sizes and normalized. The process of normalizing the dataset has the aim that the value ranges in the dataset have the same value. The 890 butterfly dataset was classified using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) method. Based on this research process, the accuracy of the 256x160 pixel size is 72%, the 420x315 pixel is 75%, and the 768x576 pixel is 75%. The test results on a system with a 768x576 pixel get the highest results with a precision value of 74.6%, a recall of 72%, and an f-measure of 73.2%
 Keywords—image processing; classification; butterflies; color features; features extraction

The puzzle of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) and their association with plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids

1. The chemical defences of monarch butterflies involve two kinds of secondary plant metabolites: cardiac glycosides (CGs) that are obtained from larval hostplants, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that are gathered by adults usually independent from feeding behaviour. While monarchs and CGs have received great attention, monarchs and PAs appear largely ignored in science as well as by the public.2. We review and discuss PA‐pharmacophagy specifically for Danaus plexippus and its closest relatives and aim to encourage research and future consideration of this peculiar type of insect‐plant relationship, which represents an intrinsic but surprisingly understudied aspect of the lives of adult monarchs.

Monarch Butterfly Migration as an Integrative Model of Complex Trait Evolution.

AbstractUnderstanding the genetic architecture of complex trait adaptation in natural populations requires the continued development of tractable models that explicitly confront organismal and environmental complexity. A decade of high-throughput sequencing-based investigations into the genomic basis of migration points to an integrative framework that incorporates quantitative genetics, evolutionary developmental biology, phenotypic plasticity, and epigenetics to explain migration evolution. In this perspective, I argue that the transcontinental migration of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) can serve as a compelling system to study the mechanism of evolutionary lability of a complex trait. Monarchs show significant phenotypic and genotypic diversity across their global range, with phenotypic switching that allows for explicit study of evolutionary lability. A developmental approach for elucidating how migratory traits are generated and functionally integrated will be important for understanding the evolution of monarch migration traits. I propose a plasticity threshold model to describe migration lability, and I describe novel functional techniques that will help resolve open questions and model assumptions. I conclude by considering the relationships between adaptive genetic architecture, anthropogenic climate change, and conservation management practice and the timeliness of the monarch migration model to illuminate these connections given the rapid decline of the North American migration.

Oviposition Response of Monarch Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) to Imidacloprid-Treated Milkweed.

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations have declined over the last two decades, attributable in part to declines in its larval host plant, milkweed (Asclepias spp.), across its breeding range. Conservation efforts in the United States call for restoration of 1.3 billion milkweed stems into the Midwestern landscape. Reaching this goal will require habitat establishment in marginal croplands, where there is a high potential for exposure to agrochemicals. Corn and soybean crops may be treated with neonicotinoid insecticides systemically or through foliar applications to provide protection against insect pests. Here, we investigate whether ovipositing monarchs discriminate against milkweed plants exposed to the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid, either systemically or through foliar application. In our first experiment, we placed gravid females in enclosures containing a choice of two cut stems for oviposition: one in 15 ml of a 0.5 mg/ml aqueous solution of imidacloprid and one in 15 ml water. In a second experiment, females were given a choice of milkweed plants whose leaves were treated with 30 µl of a 0.825 mg/ml imidacloprid-surfactant solution or plants treated with surfactant alone. To evaluate oviposition preference, we counted and removed eggs from all plants daily for 3 d. We also collected video data on a subset of butterflies to evaluate landing behavior. Results indicate that neither systemic nor foliar treatment with imidacloprid influenced oviposition behavior in female monarchs. The implications of these findings for monarch conservation practices will be informed by the results of ongoing egg and larval toxicity studies.

A Landscape-Level Assessment of Restoration Resource Allocation for the Eastern Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch butterfly eastern population (Danaus plexippus) is in decline primarily due to habitat loss. Current habitat restoration programs focus on re-establishing milkweed, the primary food resource for Monarch caterpillars, in the central United States of America. However, individual components of the Monarch life cycle function as part of an integrated whole. Here we develop the MOBU-SDyM, a migration-wide systems dynamics model of the Monarch butterfly migratory cycle to explore alternative management strategies’ impacts. Our model offers several advances over previous efforts, considering complex variables such as dynamic temperature-dependent developmental times, dynamic habitat availability, and weather-related mortality across the entire range. We first explored whether the predominant focus of milkweed restoration in the mid-range of the Monarch’s migration could be overestimating the Monarch’s actual habitat requirements. Second, we examined the robustness of using the recommended 1.2–1.6 billion milkweed stems as a policy objective when accounting for factors such as droughts, changes in temperature, and the stems’ effective usability by the Monarchs. Third, we used the model to estimate the number and distribution of stems across the northern, central, and southern regions of the breeding range needed to reach a self-sustainable long-term Monarch population of six overwintering hectares. Our analysis revealed that concentrating milkweed growth in the central region increases the size of the overwintering colonies more so than equivalent growth in the south region, with growth in the northern region having a negligible effect. However, even though simulating an increase in milkweed stems in the south did not play a key role in increasing the size of the overwintering colonies, it plays a paramount role in keeping the population above a critically small size. Abiotic factors considerably influenced the actual number of stems needed, but, in general, our estimates of required stems were 43–91% larger than the number of stems currently set as a restoration target: our optimal allocation efforts were 7.35, 92, and 0.15% to the south, central, and northern regions, respectively. Systems dynamics’ analytical and computational strengths provided us with new avenues to investigate the Monarch’s migration as a complex biological system and to contribute to more robust restoration policies for this unique species.

Corrigendum to: Intra-Annual Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Monarch Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Danaidae), Regal Fritillary (Lepidoptera: Heliconiinae), and Their Floral Resources in North Dakota, United States

Corrigendum to: Intra-Annual Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Monarch Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Danaidae), Regal Fritillary (Lepidoptera: Heliconiinae), and Their Floral Resources in North Dakota, United States

Effects of abdomen undulation in energy consumption and stability for monarch butterfly

The flight of monarch butterflies is characterized by a relatively large wing, flapping at a relatively low frequency coupled with abdomen undulation. This paper presents the dynamics of a flapping wing flyer that can be applied to the coupled motion of the wing, body, and abdomen at the monarch butterfly scale, which is formulated directly on the configuration manifold. The resulting thorax and abdomen motion as well as the resultant forces are consistent with the flight of a live monarch butterfly. Based on these, beneficial effects of the abdomen undulation in the flight of monarch butterflies are illustrated. For both hover and forward-climbing trajectories, the abdomen undulation results in a reduction of the energy and power consumption. Furthermore, the Floquet stability analysis shows that the periodic orbits associated with both flight modes are stable. In particular, the abdomen undulation improves the stability. Compared to the dynamics of hawkmoth, bumblebee, and fruitfly models, the monarch possesses superior stability properties.

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Life-Stage Risks from Foliar and Seed-Treatment Insecticides.

Conservation of North America's eastern monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) population would require establishment of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) and nectar plants in the agricultural landscapes of the north central United States. A variety of seed-treatment and foliar insecticides are used to manage early- and late-season pests in these landscapes. Thus, there is a need to assess risks of these insecticides to monarch butterfly life stages to inform habitat conservation practices. Chronic and acute dietary toxicity studies were undertaken with larvae and adults, and acute topical bioassays were conducted with eggs, pupae, and adults using 6 representative insecticides: beta-cyfluthrin (pyrethroid), chlorantraniliprole (anthranilic diamide), chlorpyrifos (organophosphate), imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam (neonicotinoids). Chronic dietary median lethal concentration values for monarch larvae ranged from 1.6 × 10-3 (chlorantraniliprole) to 5.3 (chlorpyrifos) μg/g milkweed leaf, with the neonicotinoids producing high rates of arrested pupal ecdysis. Chlorantraniliprole and beta-cyfluthrin were generally the most toxic insecticides to all life stages, and thiamethoxam and chlorpyrifos were generally the least toxic. The toxicity results were compared to insecticide exposure estimates derived from a spray drift model and/or milkweed residue data reported in the literature. Aerial applications of foliar insecticides are expected to cause high downwind mortality in larvae and eggs, with lower mortality predicted for adults and pupae. Neonicotinoid seed treatments are expected to cause little to no downslope mortality and/or sublethal effects in larvae and adults. Given the vagile behavior of nonmigratory monarchs, considering these results within a landscape-scale context suggests that adult recruitment will not be negatively impacted if new habitat is established in close proximity of maize and soybean fields in the agricultural landscapes of the north central United States. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1761-1777. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

A case study of a conservation flagship species: the monarch butterfly

What makes a flagship species effective in engaging conservation donors? Large, charismatic mammals are typically selected as ambassadors, but a few studies suggest butterflies—and monarchs in particular—may be even more appealing. To gather more information about people’s responses to monarchs, we conducted an empirical study of member submissions to a successful conservation campaign, the Monarch Story Campaign, conducted by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The set of 691 stories along with their associated demographic and donation data was analyzed in a mixed-methods study using qualitative analysis and tests of association. The results showed that people often described encounters with monarchs in childhood and as adults. They expressed strong, positive emotions, and lauded the monarch’s beauty and other “awe-inspiring” qualities and expressed wonder at their lifecycle (i.e., metamorphosis and migration). They also raised conservation themes of distress at monarch loss, calls for action, and caretaking, such as being “fragile” and “in need.” Sharing personal encounters was associated with current efforts to save the species and more past financial donations, while a second pattern tied more donations to awe at the monarch’s mass migration. These results imply that conservation campaigns built around species people encounter may build lifelong awareness, concern, and actions towards conservation.

Conservation risks and benefits of establishing monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) breeding habitats close to maize and soybean fields in the north central United States: A landscape-scale analysis of the impact of foliar insecticide on nonmigratory monarch butterfly populations.

Establishing habitat in agricultural landscapes of the north central United States is critical to reversing the decline of North America's eastern monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) population. Insecticide use could create population sinks and threaten recovery. Discouraging habitat establishment within a 38-m zone around crop fields is a suggested risk mitigation measure. In Story County, Iowa, United States, this mitigation would discourage habitat establishment in 84% of roadsides and 38% of noncrop land. It is unclear if the conservation benefits from establishing habitat close to crop fields outweigh suppression of population growth owing to insecticide exposure. Consequently, monarch conservation plans require spatially and temporally explicit landscape-scale assessments. Using an agent-based model that incorporates female monarch movement and egg laying, the number and location of eggs laid in Story County were simulated for four habitat scenarios: current condition, maximum new establishment, moderate establishment, and moderate establishment only outside a 38-m no-plant zone around crop fields. A demographic model incorporated mortality from natural causes and insecticide exposure to simulate adult monarch production over 10 years. Assuming no insecticide exposure, simulated adult production increased 24.7% and 9.3%, respectively, with maximum and moderate habitat establishment and no planting restrictions. A 3.5% increase was simulated assuming moderate habitat establishment with a 38-m planting restriction. Impacts on adult production were simulated for six representative insecticides registered for soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) management. Depending on the frequency of insecticide applications over a 10-year period, simulated production increased 8.2%-9.3%, assuming moderate habitat establishment with no planting restrictions. Results suggest that the benefits of establishing habitat close to crop fields outweigh the adverse effects of insecticide spray drift; that is, metapopulation extirpation is not a concern for monarchs. These findings are only applicable to species that move at spatial scales greater than the scale of potential spray-drift impacts. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:989-1002. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Are eastern and western monarch butterflies distinct populations? A review of evidence for ecological, phenotypic, and genetic differentiation and implications for conservation

AbstractMonarch butterflies are a species of conservation priority due to declining overwintering populations in both eastern and western North America. Declines in western overwintering monarchs—more than 99.9% since monitoring began—are especially acute. However, the degree to which western monarchs are a distinct biological entity is uncertain. In this review, we focus on phenotypic and genetic differentiation between eastern and western monarchs, with the goal of informing researchers and policy‐makers who are interested in monarch conservation. Eastern and western monarchs occupy distinct environments and show some evidence for phenotypic differentiation, particularly for migration‐associated traits, though population genetic and genomic studies suggest that they are indistinguishable from one another. We suggest future studies that could improve our understanding of differences between eastern and western monarchs. We also discuss the concept of adaptive capacity in eastern and western monarchs as well as non‐migratory populations outside of the monarch's primary North American range. Finally, we discuss the prospect of completely losing migratory monarchs from western North America and what this entails for monarch conservation.

A Deep Learning‐based Computer Vision Approach for Comparative Monarch Butterfly Phenotype Identification in Citizen Science

In recent years, the monarch butterfly's iconic migration patterns have come under threat from a number of factors, from climate change to pesticide use. To track trends in their populations, scientists as well as citizen scientists must identify individuals accurately. This is key because there exist other species of butterfly, such as viceroy butterflies, that are “look-alikes,” having similar phenotypes. To tackle this problem and to aid in more efficient identification, we present MonarchNet, the first comprehensive dataset consisting of butterfly imagery for monarchs and five look-alike species. We train a baseline deep-learning classification model to serve as a tool for differentiating monarch butterflies and its various look-alikes. We seek to contribute to the study of biodiversity and butterfly ecology by providing a novel method for computational classification of these particular butterfly species. The ultimate aim is to help scientists track monarch butterfly population and migration trends in the most precise manner possible.

Experimental and Simulation Analysis of Silkworm Cocoon Waste Fiber Reinforced Concrete Using FNN with EMBA Optimization

Due to the expansion and modernization of the human population, the construction area has gradually developed. As innovations develop, a large portion of the fiber waste is thermosetting plastics but this thermosetting plastic causes hazards. Subsequently affordable, a vital step forward is to further improve waste management and recycling without damaging the earth. In this paper, Silkworm Cocoon Waste Fibers (SCWF) are introduced in the concrete mixtures, which increase robustness and control the utilization of common sand. The addition of distinctive fibers to concrete would decrease shrinkage cracks and construction costs. The experimental test results of the concrete compressive strength reinforced by SCWF volume portions from 0 to 2%. The use of SCWF in ordinary concrete will enhance concrete’s mechanical and toughness characteristics and increase the dual benefit of minimizing the risks to the earth. Similarly, to predict the structural behavior of SCWF fortified concrete, simulation modeling, i.e., the Fuzzy Neural Network (FNN), is proposed. The Enhanced Monarch Butterfly Algorithm (EMBA) is used to boost the FNN algorithm’s efficiency. The test results showed an exceptional increase in the mechanical properties of SWCF-containing concrete compared to traditional concrete.