Do butterflies need to drink?
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 2:49 pm
It would seem that they do from this photo...I can't imagine it getting anything but water from a bog plant.
Martin.
Martin.
They most certainly do. Without water, these slight creatures would quickly dehydrate and perish.
There was a beautiful little moth on the curtains in my garage the other day. I coaxed it onto my finger and took it into the garden gently waving my hand so that it could take flight. It did not and it was then I noticed it was drinking avidly what little mositure was available on my finger tip. I then tried to get it to fly after a minute or so and off it went.
During the exceptional summer of 1976, I observed many local butterflies well removed from their usual haunts in their searches for moisture. I remember seeing a fine female Purple Emperor under the frond of a dew covered Bracken plant which was feeding from the dew droplets shortly after first light. After an hour or so, all traces of moisture on the plants were gone and the heat again returned and few insects flew in those conditions. Wisely conserving their engergy. Even in the UK, hot days can be unsuitable for insect flight and activity.