EXPEDITION: Butterflies gather nectar
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Duration: 01:33Filesize: About 53 MB
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30 Apr, 2009
As they feed on the sweet nectar of flowers, various butterfly species aid plant pollination.
Most of the butterflies that we filmed in the woody Cape region of the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa today belong to a group commonly called 'whites'.
Autumn has arrived and most insect species are laying low. However, some butterfly species have adapted to the colder weather and these congregate around the few plant species that happen to be in flower at this time of year.
In open glades in the forest, butterflies flit between the purple flowers on kiesblaar shrubs growing in the light.
They appear, from a distance, like confetti blowing in the wind.
One or two swallowtails also make an appearance, all intent on finding the nectar provided by local plants.
By gathering this nectar from the flowers, the butterflies aid the plants to reproduce by distributing the pollen that adheres to their stamens.
– Gavin Forrester, Earth-Touch crew © Earth-Touch
More about this clip
Country: South Africa
Habitat: Grassland/savannah
Location: Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape
Tags: African common white, Belenois creona severina, Belenois gidica abyssinica, Green-banded swallowtail, Papilio nireus lyaeus, Boris von Schoenebeck, Zamo Mkhize, Gavin Forrester, Pollinate, Pollen, Nectar, Flower, Belenois, Creona, Severina, Gidica, Abyssinica, Papilio, Nireus, Lyaeus, Insect, Pollination, Swallowtail, Reproduce, Stamen, African veined white butterfly, Insects, Invertebrates, Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa, Africa, Grassland/savannah
