News Discussion
Butterflies Huddle Up to Get Through the Winter

Weekly News Digest
産経オンライン英会話 ニュースディスカッション教材

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Butterflies Huddle Up to Get Through the Winter

Directions: Read the following article aloud.


In a forest along the coast of Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, a group of Ceylon blue glassy tigers was spotted hibernating together. The butterflies, called Ryukyu Asagi Madara in Japanese, have a distinctive blue pattern on their wings.

When the temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit), these migratory butterflies tend to cluster together on tree branches.

This natural phenomenon usually continues until early March, and observing the butterflies is a popular seasonal tradition among nature enthusiasts and tourists.

"We used to be able to see several thousands of these butterflies in the past," says Kenichiro Tomikawa, an expert on insect ecology from Amami City in Kagoshima Prefecture. "But in recent years, their numbers have been declining."

Source：Butterflies Huddle Up to Get Through the Winter
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Key phrases and vocabulary

Directions: First repeat after your tutor and then read aloud by yourself.
1. hibernate （動物が）冬眠する・冬ごもりする、（人が）避寒する・引きこもる
Some reptiles, like turtles, hibernate in mud or burrows during cold weather.
2. be spotted 目撃される、見つけられる、見分けられる、見いだされる
The famous celebrity couple was spotted dining at a fancy restaurant downtown.
3. distinctive 独特の、特徴的な、際立った、異彩を放つ、典型的な、代表となる
His laughter has a distinctive sound that always brightens the room.
4. enthusiast 熱心な人・熱中している人、熱狂者、熱狂的なファン、マニア
She is a car enthusiast who enjoys restoring vintage vehicles in her spare time.
5. decline （数量が）減少する、（価値・価格などが）下落する、（力などが）低下する、（申し出などを）辞退する
With advancements in technology, the need for manual labor jobs may decline in the future.

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Questions

Directions: Read the questions aloud and answer them.
1. Where do Ceylon blue glassy tiger butterflies hibernate on Amami Oshima island?
2. Until when does the butterfly hibernation usually last?
3. Which animals that hibernate do you know?
4. Do you enjoy observing any animals?
5. What do you think could be causing the decline in the population of these migratory butterflies?

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奄美大島でチョウ集団越冬　海岸の林、羽を寄せ合う

鹿児島県・奄美大島の海沿いにある林で、青い斑紋が特徴のチョウ「リュウキュウアサギマダラ」の集団越冬が今年も見られるようになった。気温が１５度以下になると、枝などに集まって羽を寄せ合う習性がある。

３月上旬ごろまでの風物詩として、愛好家や観光客から人気がある。昆虫の生態に詳しい同県奄美市の富川賢一郎さん（７３）は「以前は数千匹の集団を見ることができたが、近年は規模が小さくなってきた」と話している。

出典：奄美大島でチョウ集団越冬　海岸の林、羽を寄せ合う
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