20 August 2013

Butterflies Galore!

Butterflies Galore!
The Fluffy Tit (Zeltus amasa maximinianus)



Bird droppings and other mammalian excretions appear to contain nutrition that some butterflies like to feed on. In the forests, we have often seen butterflies, especially some Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae, feeding greedily on bird droppings. Even when disturbed, a hungry butterfly will return repeatedly to its precious food source.

This Fluffy Tit was photographed feeding on this bird dropping on a leaf last Sunday by ButterflyCircle member Goh EC. The butterfly was quite tame, staying still for periods of time just feeding. At times, it turned around repeatedly, and continued feeding, almost as if it was looking for a better spot to get more nutrients from the bird dropping.