Butterflies 2

[grandfatherd]

Seeing kloofneks question on butterflies, brought to mind a puzzle I have regarding them. I have a border of lavender which during the day is literally covered with dozens of bees and cabbage white butterflies.
The question I wish to ask is what does the butterflies do with the nectar/ pollen that they seem to be after. I know what bees are up to but butterflies? They do not look after eggs or young and they stay around too long to be just feeding themselves. Anybody have the answer?

Danny,

[Robinia]

In their short lives butterflies feast and mate. They only eat liquids, water, nectar and squishy fruit so it probably passes through quickly!

[hammerman]

Yeah, food for energy, that's about it.

Just got back from my allotment. Now i'd expect to see some large (cabbage) whites there but there are absolutely hundreds of them....never seen so many. A few peacocks and a gatekeeper were also present

[kloofnek]

I have never seen so many butterflies around before..I did wonder if some nature society has released lots of them.Maybe they were becoming rarer and so this has been done to avoid extinction.