Butterflies cross Atlantic ocean on 2,600-mile non-stop flight never recorded in any insect before

Scientists have found the first evidence of insects crossing an entire ocean — after finding butterflies that made a 2,600-mile (4,200 kilometers) journey across the Atlantic.

Gerard Talavera, an evolutionary biologist at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona, made the discovery in French Guiana in 2013, when he spotted a flock of painted lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui) sitting on the sand, their wings tattered and shot through with holes.

This discovery puzzled scientists, as the tiny species can be found around the world, but not in South America. Now, after a decade of investigation, the researchers have pieced together an answer for how the butterflies got there: They embarked on the first transoceanic flight recorded in an insect. 

The researchers published their findings Tuesday (June 25) in the journal Nature Communications.

"We tend to see butterflies as a symbol of the fragility of beauty, but Science shows us that they can perform incredible feats," study co-author Roger Vila, a researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology in Barcelona, said in a statement. "There is still much to discover about their capabilities."

Insect migrations aren't uncommon, but they're difficult to track. Scientists usually rely on records from amateur insect watchers and radar coverage to study insect movements, but these are limited and not always reliable.

Related: 'Russian doll' set of stomach-bursting parasites released inside butterfly on remote Finnish island