Vampire butterflies ( Red Admirals)

August 21st: I came across this Red Admiral butterfly today, hopping along the bark of a tree that was also attracting a lot of wasps ( you can see one on the left). They were both here for the same thing: a sugar fix. As wildflower season winds down, tree sap becomes a great place to find sweet liquids which are high in calories. Trees may look like they are in business for themselves, but they actually provide homes for bugs, sap for butterflies, nuts for squirrels, and a buffet for birds who come looking for bugs in the bark. Talk about multi-tasking....

A Red Admiral Butterfly drinking some sap from a tree

Stephen Milton, of www.Torontonature.com. 
Subscribe to the blog to get daily nature pictures, or join our Facebook page, Toronto Nature Diary.
For more in depth info, visit www.torontonature.com.