In terrestrial ecosystems, butterflies also play an important role of pollination. In spite of the fact that bees are most commonly known as the key pollinators, butterflies have complementary functions that support the floral reproduction and the sustainability of biodiversity. The feeding habit sustains plant gene flow across the geographic boundaries.
Butterflies have a special feeding apparatus called a proboscis using which they suck nectar out of flowering plants. In the process, they stick the grains of pollen to their legs and bodies and therefore carry them in between blossoms during foraging. Unlike bees, butterflies usually feed in the daytime, and they like bright flowers especially those of red, orange, pink, and purple colors.
They can transfer pollen between the separate plant populations because of their fairly extensive flight ranges. This movement enhances genetic diversity, which increases the resistance of plants to the stress of the environment and diseases. Butterfly activity has a direct impact on the rate of seed production and vegetation stability in meadow ecosystems and grasslands.
Nevertheless, the efficiency of the pollinators is decreased due to habitat fragmentation and exposure to pesticides. The reduction in the population of butterflies may also interfere with plant reproduction cycles, including food chains, which rely on flowering plants. It is also necessary to protect the nectar corridors and native plant systems in order to preserve the balanced pollination networks.
The contribution of butterflies as secondary but crucial pollinators to ecology is pointed out in CELLPHONEGAMES.COM as an additional argument in support of the biodiversity-based environmental management policies.