Do butterflies drink turtle tears?

The butterflies are likely attracted to the turtles' tears because the liquid drops contain salt, specifically sodium, an important mineral that is scant in the western Amazon, said Phil Torres, a scientist who does much of his research at the Tambopata Research Center in Peru and is associated with Rice University.
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Do butterflies drink human tears?

Butterflies drink the tears of turtles, sweat and human urine to survive in harsh environments and an explorer has captured incredible footage to prove it. The beautiful creatures will drink just about anything as they fight for survival in the nutrient-poor Amazon rainforest.
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Why do butterflies lick turtles eyes?

Because turtles are carnivores, they get plenty of sodium, unlike the vegetarian butterflies. So the butterflies like to hang out on turtles and lick up their tears. It definitely beats other sources of salt, like urine, muddy rivers, and human sweat.
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Do butterflies drink the tears of other animals?

Butterflies in the Amazon have been observed flocking onto the heads of turtles to drink their tears, which provide the animals with a vital source of the mineral sodium.
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Do butterflies hurt turtles?

They don't appear to harm the turtles in any way because they are so gentle, although they do make it difficult for the turtles to see.
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Did You Know Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears? | National Geographic



What butterflies drink turtle tears?

The sight of butterflies flocking onto the heads of yellow-spotted river turtles in the western Amazon rain forest is not uncommon, at least if one is able to sneak up on the skittish reptiles.
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Why do turtles cry?

However, unlike humans, they do not cry to express their emotions. Turtles cry because they need to remove the excess salt in their body. Some turtles also cry to remove dirt from their eyes and to keep their eyes moist.
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Do butterflies drink crocodile tears?

Reptilian eyes provide fearless insects with scarce nutrients and salt. Never smile at a crocodile—or sit on its face and drink its tears. Yet that's exactly what ecologist Carlos de la Rosa spotted a butterfly and a bee doing this past December as he boated down Costa Rica's Puerto Viejo River.
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Can a turtle cry?

As reptilian kidneys are unable to excrete large volumes of salt via urine, sea turtles evolved specialised secretory glands (lachrymal glands) located in the corner of each eye to remove excess salt. The liquid secreted gives the appearance of tears, hence why turtles are often reported to “cry” .
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Does Butterfly drink blood?

Most butterflies drink nectar (or drink blood or sweat or urine or tears), but they don't defecate.
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What does butterfly tears mean?

This phenomenon is called lachryphagy, which literally means “tear-feeding”, and, as cruel as it may sound, it is one of the ways that butterflies can get precious nutrition. As reported by National Geographic, butterflies sip on tears to get sodium and other minerals which are needed for egg production and metabolism.
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How long does the monarch butterfly live?

How long do monarchs live? Monarch butterflies typically live from 2 to 6 weeks except for the last generation of the year, which can live up to 8 to 9 months.
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Do butterflies pee red?

Red dye goes through the digestive system of butterflies and stains their pee red. Yes, butterflies pee. The red pee will stain clothes and other material.
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Do butterflies poop?

Adult butterflies do not urinate or defecate (or "go to the bathroom"). The larval life stage - the caterpillar - does all of the eating, and caterpillars almost continually defecate. Interestingly, when there enough caterpillars eating in the same place, their defecation is audible. That is, you can hear the poop!
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What type of butterflies drink human blood?

Like something out of a horror movie, a moth that sucks and drinks the blood of it's victims. In 2008, Vampire moths were discovered in Siberia. The moth, when being studied by an entomologist, was experimentally offered a human hand. The moth drilled it's tongue through the skin and started drinking human blood.
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Why do turtles hiss at you?

If your pet turtle hisses, he's not trying to alarm you or warn you, as the action is simply involuntary on his part. When turtles feel scared for whatever reason, they usually rapidly force their heads back into their shells.
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How can I tell if my turtle is dying?

Six Signs That Your Turtle Is Dying
  • Increased Basking.
  • Lack of Appetite.
  • Foaming/Bubbles At The Mouth and/or Nose.
  • Lethargy.
  • Whistling, Coughing, or Sneezing.
  • Lopsided Swimming.
  • Respiratory Infection.
  • Shell Rot.
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Why do turtles cry when laying eggs?

They need to run these glands continuously to maintain the correct balance of salt in their bodies. We associate crying with egg laying because that's the only time they come ashore, but they cry in the sea as well. The tears also help flush sand from their eyes.
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Why do butterflies sit on crocs?

Crocodile tears may be drinks for thirsty butterflies and bees, new research reveals. The insects likely rely on croc tears for salt.
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Why do butterflies land on Gators?

Apparently Butterflies Land on Crocodiles to Drink Their Tears | wkyc.com.
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Do crocodiles really cry?

Crocodiles do actually cry. When they spend enough time out of the water, their eyes dry out so they weep to keep them lubricated. The belief started that the crocodiles only shed these tears when attacking and eating their victims, either as a trap to lure in their prey or out of emotion for their violent act.
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How do you know if a turtle is happy?

Swollen, cloudy, or "weepy" eyes with a discharge are all common signs your turtle is sick. Another very common sign is mouth breathing or straining to breathe. If your turtle looks healthy and is breathing normally, this is a good indicator they're happy.
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Do turtles scream?

Turtles don't have any vocal cords so they can't scream. But during certain movements the air inside their body is removed abruptly, thus making sounds similar to a scream. Despite their lack of vocal cords, turtles can make a lot of noises, some of them can sound dangerous, while some are outright funny.
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Can a turtle live for 1000 years?

Their lifespan can be 150 years or more. As with whales, sharks, and other species, it is often difficult to determine a turtle's exact age. After all, researchers are not usually present when the animals are born. Some have estimated, however, that large turtles may be able to live 400 to 500 years!
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Is it good to drink your tears?

Our tears are an amazing aspect of our bodies and one we still don't know a great deal about. Tears are a complex mix of proteins, antibodies and other substances, and have antibacterial and antiviral properties. If you could collect enough to drink, they would be more nutritious than water.
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