Butterflies, known for their graceful flight and colorful wings, frequently visit flowering plants. This often raises the question: what do butterflies do with pollen? Their relationship with flowers involves their feeding habits, nutritional needs, and how they inadvertently contribute to plant reproduction.
How Butterflies Feed
Butterflies primarily feed on nectar, a sugary liquid produced by flowers. They possess a specialized mouthpart called a proboscis, an elongated, tube-like structure. When not in use, it remains coiled tightly against the butterfly’s head. Upon visiting a flower, the butterfly unfurls its proboscis, extending it deep into the blossom to access the nectar.
This appendage allows them to sip liquids like nectar, tree sap, and fruit juices. Nectar provides sugars that fuel their flight and daily activities. The proboscis is formed from two interlocking parts, creating a feeding tube for efficient fluid uptake.
Pollen and Butterfly Nutrition
Unlike bees, butterflies do not actively collect or consume pollen as a primary food source. Their digestive systems are adapted for liquid diets, specifically nectar’s sugars. Pollen, rich in protein, is not easily processed by most butterfly species.
While some Heliconius butterflies can feed on pollen, this is an exception. These butterflies dissolve pollen with saliva before ingesting it, a rare adaptation. For most butterflies, pollen holds no nutritional interest and can impede nectar feeding.
Unintentional Pollen Transport
Though butterflies do not seek pollen for consumption, pollen grains adhere to their bodies during flower visits. As a butterfly sips nectar, its proboscis, head, legs, and wings can brush against the flower’s anthers, the pollen-producing parts. Pollen grains are microscopic and sticky, clinging easily to the butterfly’s hairy body and legs.
This pollen transfer is accidental, a byproduct of the butterfly’s search for nectar. When the butterfly moves between flowers, some attached pollen grains may rub off onto the stigma of a new flower. This inadvertent pollen movement facilitates plant reproduction.
Butterflies as Pollinators
Butterflies act as pollinators through this unintentional pollen transfer. While not as efficient as bees at carrying large pollen quantities, their frequent visits to numerous flowers contribute to plant reproduction. Their long-range flights also help transfer pollen over significant distances, promoting genetic diversity.
Flowers adapted for butterfly pollination display characteristics like bright colors (red, pink, purple) and may have a faint scent. These flowers offer a flat landing surface and long, tubular nectaries, well-suited for the butterfly’s extended proboscis. Examples include milkweed, coneflowers, and verbena.