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.
Butterflies learn quickly to avoid blossoms which are past their prime.
At the same time, experiments proved that some species could be taught, in only about 10 visits, to switch their preference to another color based on the rewards that were offered. Developing the skills to acquire the nectar appears to be another learned behavior which is refined within mere seconds and after only a few visits to more challenging blossoms such as those of vetch and clover. Time was lost when nectaring in a field of mixed flowers, which may be a reason why butterflies seem to prefer large groupings of the same plants.