31/08/2022
Unlike females, who mainly feed from flower nectar, males commonly drink from mineralized moisture from damp ground, tree sap, dung, carrion, fermenting fruit and honeydew secreted from aphids! That is because males incorporate those extra salts and minerals into their s***m.
When butterflies mate, these nutrients are gifted to the female through the s***matophore. These extra salts and minerals improve the viability of the female's eggs, increasing the couple's chances of passing on their genes to another generation.
The Red-spotted Purple butterfly mimics the coloring of the poisonous Pipe Vine Swallowtail, giving it a higher survival rate, as birds associate their color with toxic and unpalatable taste!
Photo: Sarah Folts — Butterfly Babe
