What Do Butterflies Eat

If you are interested in attracting butterflies to your yard, you may wonder, "What do butterflies eat?" The answer can vary depending on the species, but, with a few exceptions, butterflies eat (or rather, drink) whatever can dissolve in water. This allows them to draw nutrients up their long, straw-like proboscis.

Though most butterflies love flower nectar, they aren't always picky. Many butterflies eat tree sap, as well as dung, rotting fruit, and even sweat! (They like the salt.) Some butterflies will only eat certain kinds of nectar, but the really picky eaters are caterpillars. While most caterpillars eat plants and leaves, many will only eat specific types of plants. Monarch caterpillars, for example, eat only milkweed. This specialization not only holds down competition for food, but, in the case of the bitter milkweed eaters, makes them taste pretty bad to predators.

There are some butterflies that are even more specialized. Zebra butterflies, for example, can collect pollen on their proboscis, and break it down for food over a longer period of time. This allows them to survive, mate, and lay eggs for longer periods of time than some butterflies.

There is at least one type of predatory butterfly as well. The favorite food of the Harvester butterfly's caterpillars are wooly aphids. They also enjoy scale insects and tree hoppers. The adults are fond of wooly aphids too. With their short proboscis they can pierce their bodies and drink their fluids. Yummy!

Whether you are a budding lepidopterist, or just want to add some living color to your yard, it's nice to know what butterflies eat.There's more to their diet than you might have imagined.  With the right knowledge you can even watch their entire life cycle unfold in your own back yard!