Question

How do butterflies contribute to environmental balance ?

Answer 1

Butterflies are major part of the ecosystem and make the following contributions to it:

They add aesthetic value to the ecosystem due to their elegance and beauty.

Assist in plant pollination as they move from flower to flower in search of nectar,they also transfer pollen grains.

Part of the nutrition/food cycle- butterflies are predated upon by many other organisms like lizards,spiders , small mammals and insectivorous birds.

Keep some organisms in check- in their larva/caterpillar stage they feed on leaves and stalks thereby controlling the propagation of some plants.Other caterpillars eat aphids and rotting fruits thus reduce wastage.

Act as ecosystem barometers- their presence shows a healthy environment since they are sensitive to chemicals in pesticides.They are also affected by changes in temperatures.