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Specific host vegetation supplying nectar, food, and cocoon habitat for an associated butterfly species, or another Lepidoptera species. See also: List of honey plants Contents
As adults, butterflies feed mainly on nectar, but they have also evolved to consume rotting fruit, tree sap, and even carrion. [6] Supporting nectarivorous adult butterflies involves planting nectar plants of different heights, color, and bloom times.
The nectar attracts predatory insects which will eat both the nectar and any plant-eating insects around, thus functioning as "bodyguards". [24] Foraging predatory insects show a preference for plants with extrafloral nectaries, particularly some species of ants and wasps, which have been observed to defend the plants bearing them.
The fourth requirement is nectar for the butterflies. Monarchs enjoy the nectar from butterfly weed, swamp milkweed, lilac, red clover, tall verbena, lantana, goldenrod and thistle.
Here is a list of some of the flowers that the variegated fritillary uses as nectar plants: Dogbane, Apocynum species; Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca; Asters, Aster sp. Bearded beggarticks, Bidens aristosa; Thistles, Cirsium sp. Coneflowers, Echinacea sp. Fleabane, Erigeron sp. Common boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum; Alfalfa, Medicago sativa
The larvae feed on various types of Brassicaceae, which can also be referred to as mustard plants. The most common of these types are Cardamines and Boechera, sometimes commonly known as bittercress and rockcress respectively. Adult butterflies will eat the nectar from these same plants. [7]
Nectar is produced by flowering plants to attract pollinators to visit the flowers and transport pollen between them. Flowers often have specialized structures that make the nectar accessible only for animals possessing appropriate morphological structures, and there are numerous examples of coevolution between nectarivores and the flowers they ...
Butterflies are attracted by most good nectar sources, though there are particular plants they seem to prefer. Certain plants are also grown as a food source for their caterpillars. [6] Hummingbirds feed on tubular flowers, using their long, siphoning beaks. Many plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, are used to attract hummingbirds.