Ben Hoare

Bilateral gynandromorphism is a pretty rare occurrence where an animal is a half-male, half-female, split right down the middle. Like this common blue butterfly - male on left, female on right. Weird! But seriously wonderful…

Very excited this is going to be in my big children’s nature book for autumn 2023 which I start writing next week.

#nature #wildlife #butterfly #entomology #AmWriting #ChildrensBooks
Photo: Burkhard Hinnersmann / Wikimedia Commons

Nov 27, 2022 at 9:07pmWeb
Show threadSue BeesleyNov 27, 2022
@BenHoare One for you @StephenByrne ...
Show threadDeb4+ aka Deborah DT 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Nov 28, 2022
@amandacsb2 Question - when is the runoff in Seal Beach for Stephanie Wade, do you know?
Show threadAmanda BNov 28, 2022
@DeborahForPlus I’ll have to look. I’m following her on Instagram. I’m sure she posted about it.
Show threadDr Jo KershawNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare This always makes me think of the Patrick O'Brian novels, where a bilateral gynandromorph butterfly plays a tiny role in one of the books.
Show threadBen HoareNov 28, 2022
@mthr_jo Thanks for mentioning that - I'm afraid I'm not a great reader of fiction (sorry!) so had no idea!
Show threadlobsterNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare oh can I haz half human and half lobster … I guess that is too rare [lobster grumbles] 🤭
Show threadHayley Twigs in Hair HowardNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare I have never seen that, will keep an eye out next year
Show thread[email protected] 💛💙Nov 28, 2022
@BenHoare
A beautiful photo.
Show threadMelindaNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare
Goodness, I have never seen a common blue m/f like that before, that really is exciting. I wonder if predators are less likely to take this example?
Show threadBen HoareNov 28, 2022
@Melinda No idea! Doubt it has been researched? But with other colour aberrations - eg leucism, albinism - I think generally the predation risk increases.
Show threadMelindaNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare
Thanks for the reply. I guess a fully brown female is well camouflaged when in plants and bushes. The male's blue doesn't give much protection! Certainly beautiful though. I've seen quite a few in open flower meadows this year.
Show threadSignalsAndSorceryNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare Wait, does that imply they self-reproduce?
Show threadBen HoareNov 28, 2022
@SignalsAndSorcery Must stress I'm not an expert, but I think the majority (perhaps all) are infertile
Show threadNickiMagsNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare
Wow amazing!
Show threadJulia BausenhardtNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare Wow, I've never seen this, how amazing and weird. Thank you for sharing this! :)
I wonder if I could adapt this for showing both the male and female form in field sketches.
Show threadBen HoareNov 28, 2022
@naturesketchbook Interesting idea about the sketches... I have a feeling some guides do that? Though obviously there are size, build or other anatomical differences between sexes in many species
Show threadAswath RaoNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare For Hindus - Ardhanarishvara https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardhanarishvara
Ardhanarishvara - Wikipedia

Show threadAnne Fausto SterlingNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare more common than you might think. Half and half mosaic must happen in this instance at the 2 cell embryo (or a double fertilization and the two zygotes fuse). It is very rare in humans for a number of reasons, including circulating hormones. But in humans often, there is actually a mosaic of maternal cells and fetal cells. Nature is messy! Thanks for posting this and keep us posted on the book.
Show threadBen HoareNov 28, 2022
@faustosterling Thank you for your explanation - can I get you to write those two pages please?! Tricky bit as ever will be making it super-clear & fun yet accurate for 7-11 year-olds.
Show threadAnne Fausto SterlingNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare I am in the middle of a writing project, but if you take a stab at it I am happy to consult and edit.
Show threadDizzyDaisyNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare nature is amazing and full of surprises thank you
Show threadAriel KroonNov 28, 2022

@BenHoare Beautiful, thanks for posting! I recently read Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao and a butterfly with gynandromorphism is a touchstone for the main character as she struggles with gender issues in a very rigid, misogynist society.

What a lovely reminder that reality is messy, and beautiful because of it.

Show threadJulietteNov 28, 2022
@arielkroon @BenHoare how do you pronounce this word auto correct messed w/ my attempt to replicate before Trying again:: Gynandro.. is it pronounced Ji””?
Show threadAriel KroonNov 28, 2022
@juliettejenn03 @BenHoare It occurs to me that I'm not sure that I have ever said it aloud! That said, the way I say it in my head is with a hard "g" as in "guy" or "gynecologist".
Show threadBen HoareNov 28, 2022
@arielkroon @juliettejenn03 Erm, not sure I have ever said it either! I also use a hard 'G' but it maybe depends on your accent. Is there a dictionary site that will read it aloud?
Show threadMadhatterNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare
Thats amazing.
Show threadSaskia van DijkNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare Amazing! Never seen anything like it! 🦋😍
Show threadBen HoareNov 28, 2022
@Saskia_photography_10 To be fair, neither have I! Doubt most of us ever will. I've only ever seen photos & drawings of it.
Show threadBert LatamoreNov 28, 2022

@BenHoare

That is wild.

Show threadBonnie SchwertnerNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare fantastically amazing!
Show threadMalkit FoxdaleNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare beautiful and amazing, thank you for sharing.
Show threadTHESpid (Chennell to a T)Nov 28, 2022
@BenHoare oooo, interesting
Show threadRadicalWoman111Nov 28, 2022
@BenHoare
Special. 🥰
Show threadJan ThieNov 28, 2022
@BenHoare
Beautiful - and a gorgeous photo too.
Show threadMirre Nov 28, 2022
@BenHoare i love these posts because it reminds me of a tumblr post years ago where some kid found a caterpillar in the trash bin and decided to keep it, named it chicken nugget, and took care of it until it went through metamorphosis (is that the right word?) and when it emerged from the cocoon it turned out to have this unique mutation! the whole thing was documented on tumblr and was really sweet.
Show threadBen HoareNov 29, 2022
@foervraengd That's a great story! What are the chances of that happening? Yep, metamorphosis is the word.
Show threadMirre Nov 29, 2022
@BenHoare the user was oddity-txt and the story is well known. I was there when they were posting about chicken nugget and at first ppl thought smth was wrong with the wings and it wouldnt be able to fly but they posted a clip where they had the butterfly fly off from their hand without problem :)
Show threadBen HoareNov 29, 2022
@foervraengd What a story, very sweetly documented too!
Show threadSue StrongNov 29, 2022

@BenHoare had to look it up, lots of examples in insects 🦋 easiest to spot. Thanks. I look forward to seeing your children’s book. Nature sure is fascinating 🧐

https://www.naturalhistorymag.com/features/243168/gynandromorphism

Gynandromorphism | Natural History Magazine

Show threadBen HoareNov 29, 2022
@strong_sue That's a useful link, thank you! And yes... being abundant , diverse and with short lifespans, insects seem ideal for studying this fascinating phenomenon.
Show threadVeronicaDec 3, 2022

@BenHoare The Passamoquoddy tribe has a beautiful creation story about 2 spirit life.

Human spirit came from a tree that sacrificed itself for the people.
The creator split the tree in half with feminine energy on one side and male energy on the other. using that energy to create people. But as the tree was running lower on energy it could no longer produce a fully male or female entity but by combining male & feminine energies it was able to continue producing people with both spirit energies

Show threadBen HoareDec 4, 2022
@SmarteristGeenyas Fascinating! I will read up some more - and may even be able to mention it briefly in my next children’s book…
Show threadVeronicaDec 4, 2022
@BenHoare not all turtle island peoples tell the story that way. Not even all Passamoquoddy tribe stories are explained that way, this is a beautiful variation.
I got that version from Geo Neptune and my reply is a greatly condensed version that omits much of the story an it's beauty due to my limited ability to remember all of it or fit it into a reply.
I shared but a sliver of a glimpse of the amazing story that is even better than what I shared.
Show threadVeronicaDec 4, 2022
@BenHoare some of what was omitted was that the spirits before they were created as humans had to agree to care for turtle island (North America) and all of it's life.
There was so much more.
It is a beautiful story filled with our responsibility to live in harmony with nature.
There was much about the ash tree which was the tree from which human life sprang and the gods and spirits behind us.
Show threadBen HoareDec 4, 2022
@SmarteristGeenyas Indigenous wisdom can teach us a lot - I'd like to read up more some time
Show threadCatherine BrownDec 12, 2022
@BenHoare wow never knew that was a thing!
Show threadBen HoareDec 12, 2022
@Catherineb201 Cool, isn't it? Am still reading up about it all... online there are some wacky pictures of birds & lobsters too.
Show threadAviva GaryDec 20, 2022
@BenHoare neat