Butterflies are quite exotic domestic insects that are gradually becoming more and more popular. Today it is very fashionable to have a greenhouse with tropical plants and a variety of butterflies. But few people understand how to care for these creatures and how to feed them.
It is necessary
- honey;
- water;
- sugar;
- rotten fruit;
- apricot nectar.
Instructions
Step 1
Feeding of the butterfly begins on the second day after its last metamorphosis, one day they do not eat. Moths feed once a day, and day moths feed once every 2-3 hours. If the butterfly is inactive, you can feed it less often, for example, once every 1, 5 days. The butterfly's favorite food is specially prepared "nectar" from honey. Take the cork from the mineral water. Pour two teaspoons of water into it (not hot or cold, only at room temperature), add half a teaspoon of honey and stir. Use only natural honey without preservatives. Sugar or apricot nectar solution can be used instead of honey.
Step 2
When the butterfly has folded wings, grab it by the breast and plant it near the cork. Take it as close to the base of the wings as possible. If the butterfly is hungry, it will immediately start drinking "nectar". A well-fed butterfly folds its proboscis and begins to escape. Butterflies have taste buds at the ends of their front legs, so she can only touch the honey syrup with her to understand that it is food. If the butterfly has not eaten for a long time, but does not unfold the proboscis, try to unfold it with a toothpick or match and dip it in nectar.
Step 3
Some butterflies eat slightly rotten fruits, especially mangoes or bananas. You can also take melon, watermelon, orange, apple, or other juicy fruits. Peel the fruit, as often the fruit is sprayed with pesticides that are harmful to insects, or reagents for long-term storage. Take the rotten pulp (in the middle of the fruit), mix it with the "nectar" and offer this mixture to the butterfly.
Step 4
Do not hold the butterfly while feeding. Feeding lasts from two to fifteen minutes. You can tell that a butterfly is eating by the movement of its proboscis. The larger the insect, the larger its proboscis and the more noticeable its movements. When the butterfly has finished eating, it will fly away. If properly fed, a butterfly can live up to three weeks.
