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Forums Lobby MASTER YOUR VISION - BY SPECIALTY Micro, Macro & Close-up (Open) topic #48229
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Subject: "Butterfly " Previous topic | Next topic
Shakenbake Gold Member Nikonian since 22nd Nov 2007Wed 06-Jun-12 02:11 AM
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"Butterfly "


Brevard, US
          

look carefully


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Scotty Silver Member Nikonian since 07th Feb 2002Wed 06-Jun-12 08:43 AM
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#1. "RE: Butterfly "
In response to Reply # 0

Abu Dhabi, AE
          

Not sure what ytou are getting at with the look carefully bit.

It is one of the blue butterflies many of which have a relationship with ants. They "give" a drop of honey dew and the ants leave the eggs alone. Then when the egg hatches the larvae crawls into the ants nest, feeds on ant eggs and emerges as an adult. The original gift of honey dew seems to stop the ants eating the butterfly in any stage of life.

This is a great image of part of the life cycle; nicely captured... I may have got this wrong of course...

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Shakenbake Gold Member Nikonian since 22nd Nov 2007Wed 06-Jun-12 04:02 PM
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#2. "RE: Butterfly "
In response to Reply # 1

Brevard, US
          

I have read of the mutualism between ants and aphids and butterflies and ants (not this species though) but almost always it seems to be the larvae that secretes the honey dew, not the adult. Considering there were no ants near this butterfly, only a fly, I'm wondering what this is, thus the "look carefully" comment. The butterfly and fly were seemingly feeding on bird excrement.

>Not sure what ytou are getting at with the look carefully
>bit.
>
>It is one of the blue butterflies many of which have a
>relationship with ants. They "give" a drop of honey
>dew and the ants leave the eggs alone. Then when the egg
>hatches the larvae crawls into the ants nest, feeds on ant
>eggs and emerges as an adult. The original gift of honey dew
>seems to stop the ants eating the butterfly in any stage of
>life.
>
>This is a great image of part of the life cycle; nicely
>captured... I may have got this wrong of course...

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Seajay Gold Member Nikonian since 29th Mar 2007Wed 06-Jun-12 07:51 PM
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#3. "RE: Butterfly "
In response to Reply # 0

Lincoln, GB
          

Are you sure it is not laying an egg in the bird excrement though I am not aware of any UK species doing so. Many species are raised in ant colonies in return for excreting sugary substances and making squeaks which the ants find pleasing, sort of a Butterfly Lavae Philharmonic. (It really is true).
Many species which are tree top dwellers will also come down to feed on animal excrement to extract the salts. I am not aware of any depositing eggs in there though many other species of insects do.

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