Celebrated on October 3rd
Did you know: 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. This behavior, called puddling, occurs more often in male butterflies, which incorporate the minerals into their sperm. These nutrients are then transferred to the female during mating, and help improve the viability of her eggs.
Source: ThoughtCoDid you know: Hummingbirds can fly up, down and all around – forwards, backwards and even upside down. They can beat their wings in a figure-eight pattern, which makes them the only vertebrates capable of sustained hovering. They can fly 30 mph, and exceed 45 mph during courtship dives.
Source: TreehuggerDid you know: Their wings are made up of tiny scales. Each scale is red, yellow, black or white. Other butterfly colours are made by light refracting (reflecting off the scales in different ways). Butterfly colours are a form of camouflage to help them blend in when they’re feeding from plants. They also help them attract a mate and can be a warning to predators too.
Source: Woodland Trust Nature Detectives