A common question we often get from our visitors is, what do butterflies actually eat?
The butterfly's mouth is like a long straw, called a proboscis, which is rolled up when not in use. Because of the proboscis, butterflies' food is limited to liquid.
Butterflies use their proboscis to suck nectar from flowers. Nectar is found deep inside different types of flowers, the proboscis allows the butterfly to reach the sweet liquid. At the Butterfly House we have many flowering plants that produce plenty of nectar. We also place "food stations" plastic flowers soaked in artificial nectar that we mix together ourselves.
Some butterflies like to eat fruit, especially fully ripe and rotten fruit. Why is this so? Well, when the fruit starts to rot, it becomes softer and more liquid and thus easier for butterflies to suck in. Here at the Butterfly House we hang out fruit every day. Banana, pineapple, orange just to name a few. We cut the fruits in many places so that liquid can penetrate. It will then be easier for the butterflies to suck in the fruit juice and absorb the nutrients.
May 14, 2024
