Beautiful Butterflies of Blaauwberg
There are over 660 butterfly species in South Africa but who knew you could find so many different butterfly species right here on your doorstep. Take a look at these beautiful, colourful and unique creatures found in the Blaauwberg Nature Reserve.
All photos and information courtesy of Fanie Rautenbach. Click here for more butterflies and detailed information.
Butterfly facts
Butterfly wings are transparent
How can that be? We know butterflies as perhaps the most colorful, vibrant insects around! A butterfly’s wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales, and these scales reflect light in different colors.
Butterflies taste with their feet
Butterflies have taste receptors on their feet to help them find their host plants and locate food.
Butterflies live on an all-liquid diet
Speaking of butterflies eating, adult butterflies can only feed on liquids, usually nectar. Their mouthparts are modified to enable them to drink, but they can’t chew solids.
Butterflies drink from mud puddles
A butterfly cannot live on sugar alone; it needs minerals, too. To supplement its diet of nectar, a butterfly will occasionally sip from mud puddles, which are rich in minerals and salts.
Butterflies can’t fly if they’re cold
Butterflies need an ideal body temperature of about 85ºF to fly. Since they’re cold-blooded animals, they can’t regulate their own body temperatures.
Click here for more related articles.
-
-