Butterflies drink nectar from flowers using a long tube-like structure called a proboscis

Butterflies drink nectar from flowers using a long tube-like structure called a proboscis. The proboscis acts like a straw, allowing the butterfly to reach deep into the flower to access the sugary liquid. When a butterfly lands on a flower, it extends its proboscis and inserts it into small nectar-producing structures. The butterfly uses its proboscis muscles to pump the nectar into its mouth, where it can be extracted for energy. In addition to nectar, butterflies obtain important nutrients and minerals from other sources such as decaying fruit, tree sap and mud - the so-called "pudding". This varied diet provides butterflies with the nutrients they need to survive and reproduce.