In addition to the well-known phenomenon of migration, I was interested to read that butterflies are also smarter in other ways than most people realize. Researchers like Martha Weiss at Georgetown University have begun to study butterfly brains and have come up with some surprising conclusions.
Butterflies have color vision that surpasses that of either humans or bees.
They can see more wavelengths and, like bees, can make a link between certain colors and reward. Pipevine butterflies were shown to be capable of remembering that one color was associated with nectar, while another indicated a host plant. Tied to this discovery is the fact that some flowers make dramatic color shifts during their bloom time. Weiss cites lantana which is yellow on the first day, then becomes orange and finally red. In studying 26 species, she found that their color change coincided with the end of their nectar supply.