Adult butterflies do not consume ants. Their diet consists primarily of liquids, a significant departure from what the question might suggest. This article aims to clarify common misconceptions about butterfly diets and explore the nuanced relationships some butterfly species share with ants during their larval stage.
What Adult Butterflies Really Eat
Adult butterflies rely on a liquid diet, which they consume using a specialized mouthpart called a proboscis. This long, tube-like structure functions much like a straw, allowing them to sip fluids. The proboscis is formed from two separate parts that zip together after the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis.
Nectar from flowers serves as the primary food source for most adult butterflies, providing essential sugars for energy and flight. Beyond nectar, many species supplement their diet with other liquid sources. These include tree sap, juices from rotting fruits, and even liquids from animal dung, urine, and carrion.
The consumption of fluids from non-floral sources, often referred to as “puddling,” allows butterflies to obtain salts, minerals, and amino acids. These nutrients are important for various physiological processes. Some species, like the Zebra Longwing, can even collect pollen on their proboscis, digesting it externally to absorb amino acids, which helps extend their lifespan.
Ants and Butterflies: A Larval Connection
Certain butterfly species, particularly during their larval stage, engage in complex interactions with ant colonies. This phenomenon, known as myrmecophily, or “ant-loving,” is especially prevalent in the Lycaenidae family, which includes blues, coppers, and hairstreaks. Approximately 75% of the over 6,000 Lycaenid species worldwide have some association with ants.
One common type of myrmecophily is mutualism, where both the caterpillar and the ants benefit. Lycaenid caterpillars often secrete a sugary fluid, similar to honeydew, from specialized glands like the dorsal nectary organ or smaller pore cupola organs located on their skin. Ants consume this sweet secretion, and in return, they protect the caterpillars from potential predators and parasites, such as wasps and flies. Some caterpillars also possess tentacle organs that release volatile chemicals, which can further attract or alert ants to provide protection.
In more specialized and often parasitic relationships, some butterfly larvae, such as those in the Maculinea or Phengaris genera, infiltrate ant nests. Once inside, these caterpillars may prey on the ant larvae and pupae, or, in some cases, are fed directly by the ant workers through a process called trophallaxis. These parasitic larvae employ sophisticated mimicry to avoid detection and aggression from their ant hosts.
Chemical mimicry is a primary strategy, where the butterfly larvae produce surface hydrocarbons that closely resemble those of the ant larvae or the colony’s unique odor, allowing them to be accepted as part of the ant brood. Beyond chemical deception, some species also use acoustic mimicry, producing sounds that imitate ant larvae or even queen ants. This auditory mimicry can elevate the caterpillar’s status within the colony, sometimes leading to preferential treatment, such as being rescued over ant larvae if the nest is disturbed.