Today’s Tuesday Photo is of an adorable little skipper butterfly, courtesy of Shubhada Nikharge. And yes, it is taking a drink from what you think it is–bird poop. Bird droppings have a lot of nitrogen, as well as salts and other minerals that butterflies need. Think of it as a rather splatty vitamin suppliment. Most plants don’t have high salt or nitrogen in their tissues or nectar, so butterflies seek it out from other sources. A little factoid to enjoy with your morning coffee.
August 2, 2011 at 7:55 am
I’ve always enjoyed seeing skippers — they really are different than other butterflies. You can recognize one from a distance sometimes.
August 2, 2011 at 10:20 am
Considering how “ew” an entomology picture can get, consider me greatly relieved (no pun intended). Nitrogen, yum. =) Lovely little creature.
August 2, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Hah, eww. Reminds me of a Callopistromyia fly I shot a year or two ago. It was doing that courtship display that picture-wing flies do, dancing around with the wings held upright — but the other fly it was dancing in front of was in fact a dry bird turd.
August 2, 2011 at 1:38 pm
“Poo, it does a body good!”
August 2, 2011 at 8:29 pm
I have just discovered your blog. I am studying to be an entomologist myself. I like your pictures and writing. Thanks for this.
August 27, 2011 at 10:31 am
uhoh.
Just scrolling down after the “____gate” post, thinking of my personal pet peeve, CNN’s use of “factoid” and then what do I see?
So, is the above claim factual, or just factoid?