Painted lady butterfly, (Vanessa cardui) Photo ©Carol English
“Butterflies are very active during the day and visit a variety of wildflowers. Butterflies are less efficient than bees at moving pollen between plants. Highly perched on their long thin legs, they do not pick up much pollen on their bodies and lack specialized structures for collecting it”. Native Pollinators
Butterflies probe for nectar, their flight fuel, and typically favor the flat, clustered flowers that provide a landing pad and abundant rewards. Butterflies have good vision but a weak sense of smell. Unlike bees, butterflies can see red.
White-lined sphinx moth. headed for a native iris. ©Carol English
“Butterflies and moths—both members of the order Lepidoptera—are valuable pollinators, supporting the health of ecosystems and agriculture. As with many other insect species, butterflies and moths in the U.S. are experiencing significant declines: 19% are at risk of extinction—including species with special habitat needs and generalist species that were once widespread. Sadly, this includes the iconic monarch butterfly, which has experienced dramatic declines in populations both east and west of the Rocky Mountains.” Xerces Society. Read more from Xerces Society.
Carol English
Native Plant Master