The Butterfly House Introduction Butterflies and moths are perhaps the best known and loved insects. The larva, a chrysalis, is usually herbivorous and sometimes a defoliator of economic importance.
Adults feed on nectar using highly specialized tubular proboscis.
Butterflies comprise about 20,000 species, while there are about 120,000 moth species. Many of these insects are tropical, and many are endangered. Displayed in our Tropical Butterfly House are butterflies and moths from Neotropical and tropical regions of the New World and southeast Asia. Heliconius hecale 'Hecales Longwing' Morpho peleides 'Blue Morpho' The Proboscis and Feeding The long slender proboscis so typical of butterflies and moths is clearly well-adapted for reaching nectar at the base of narrowly tubular flowers, though it can be used for sucking up exposed liquids. Pollen of flowers visited is conveyed involuntarily by the insect on the proboscis or head.