How Butterfly Friendships Shape Their World

Butterflies have a cool way of sticking together. They form groups based on similar looks. This helps them survive. It's like a big team where everyone benefits. Scientists wanted to know more about how these groups form and change over time. They looked at Ithomiini butterflies. These butterflies have special color patterns. The age of these patterns is super important. It helps predict how many species are in a group. But it doesn't say much about the group's diversity. Most groups have a strong family tree. This means they share a common ancestor. Only a few groups have lots of different types of butterflies. Scientists also found that new groups slow down over time. This is because there are only so many ways to look alike. The study shows that time and family history matter. Even though these butterflies work together, they still follow some old rules. Their teamwork affects how they look and how many species there are. But it doesn't wipe out the effects of time and family history.