Butterflies Galore!
The Common Bluebottle (Graphium sarpedon luctatius)
A puddling Common Bluebottle photographed in the nature reserves. This fast-flying "Swallowtail" species would otherwise be very challenging to photograph if not for its habit of needing to puddle for essential minerals for its physiological functions. An earlier article on this blog explains some of the reasons why a butterfly needs to puddle. Another article deals with the types of food sources that an adult butterfly seeks out.
In a recent article, Dr Wee Yeow Chin of the Bird Ecology Study Group shares his observations about the feeding behaviour of butterflies on his blog. The article includes two video clips of feeding butterflies. So the next time you come across a butterfly with its proboscis extended and probing a flower, a rotting fruit or just on some damp sand, you will be more aware of why the butterfly feeds, and what its diet consists of.
