Most people think of butterflies as nectar sipping, pretty pollinators but in reality they also have some disgusting food choices. In their defense they don't get all the nutrients they need from nectar so to round out their diet they eat mud, (called puddling) sweat, tears, urine, blood and poop, and decaying flesh. An interesting side note is the males need more sodium in their diets to make sperm which in turn gives their offspring a better chance of surviving. Since butterflies have no teeth all these additional food sources must also be in liquid form, including flesh. Not only are they beautiful to look at they are also part of natures cleaning crew.
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