What do Butterflies Eat

Adult butterflies eat (in fact, they drink) nectar from flowering plants, using their straw-like tongues. While most butterflies may eat from different nectar sources, some are picky eaters and like to feed on specific nectar-producing plants. There are species, such as Mourning Cloak and Question Mark butterflies, which do not drink nectar but get nutrition from organic matter like rotting fruits, tree sap, or animals.

How do Butterflies Eat

Butterflies have a long, straw-like structure, called a proboscis, which serves as their sucking mouth part. When butterflies eat, they extend their proboscis deep into the flower to drink nectar, but when it is not in use, the straw-like tube coils up. The butterflies also use their proboscis to sip water and juice from fruits.

What are the Food Sources of some Common Butterflies

Butterfly Species	Food Source
Monarch	Milkweed
Black Swallowtail	Clover, thistle, milkweed, phlox
Painted Lady	Thistle, nettle
Blue Morpho	Fermented tree sap, rotting fruit, fungi
Apollo	Houseleek, stonecrop
Skipper	Shrubs, trees, grasses, reeds
Ulysses	Euodia
Peacock	Clover, dandelion, willow, rotten fruit, tree sap
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	Milkweed, honeysuckle, ironweed, lilac, phlox, wild cherry
Checkerspot	White turtlehead
Common Blue	Sweet pea, grass pea
Karner Blue	Raspberry, goldenrod, rock cress, butterflyweed
Zebra	Verbena, Spanish needle, lantana
Purple Emperor	Aphid honeydew, tree sap
Orange-tip	Garlic mustard, cuckooflower

Interesting Facts

• Some butterfly species, such as Monarch butterfly, can live with having little or no food for five months.
• Most butterflies are fond of fruits like grapefruits, oranges, strawberries, bananas, apples, peaches, cantaloupe, and nectarines.