Did you know butterflies have to assemble their own proboscis? 🦋 This long, coiled tube starts as two separate pieces in the chrysalis. After emerging, butterflies must uncurl and zip them together before they can feed on nectar. Once complete, the proboscis helps them feed and transfer pollen from flower to flower! 🌸 | Butterfly Wonderland

In insects, the proboscis is an elongated, tubular structure that is used for sucking food into the body. While butterflies and moths are perhaps best known for their proboscis, other other pollinators like bees and flies also have one. You will even find insects like stink bugs, and assassin bugs have a proboscis. The butterfly uses its proboscis to suck nectar from flowers, juice from rotting fruits, and minerals from puddles found on wet surfaces. 📷: Jessica Houchin | Sophia M. Sachs Butterf