Do Butterflies Bite

Butterflies cannot bite because they do not possess any teeth. Caterpillars, however, have chewing mouthparts with which they feed on the leaves of a host plant, and they may bite if threatened. Once they turn into adult butterflies, they only possess a long, straw-like proboscis, which they use for drinking nectar. They also do not have any stinging structure, and therefore, they cannot sting. There are a few primitive micromoth species that can bite with their chewing mouthparts, which they use for chewing pollens.