Butterflies

Lo behold, comes the tiny beautiful creature

Though there is 'ugly' engrained in their nature

Look at those colours, bright as morning

Don't be fooled, they might be warning!

Nectar is what they are made of, we have been told

But in those striking wings, poison they may hold.

Appear they may gentle, peaceful and small

Fights, rapes, murders- they are capable of all!

Drinking sweet syrup is how they seem to carry on

Though they have a taste for - poop, piss and carrion.

The caterpillars are notorious, consume whole plants

They eat their brothers and manipulate the ants!

Innocent like flowers, certainly they are not

Pretty and quirky - what an interesting lot!

Inspiration: Butterflies Behaving Badly: What They Don’t Want You to Know by Erika Engelhaupt; March 14, 2016

(https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/butterflies-behaving-badly-what-they-dont-want-you-to-know?)