Lachryphagy

Two Julia Butterflies (Dryas iulia) drinking tears from turtles in Ecuador.
Julia Butterflies drinking from the eyes of a male Morelet's Crocodile.

Lachryphagy is the practice of feeding on tears and other eye secretions. Certain bees, butterflies, and flies have been observed feeding on the tears of reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans. Lachryphagous insects gather nutrients, especially sodium and proteins, from the tears. Lachryphagous feeding can be unbothersome or painful, with some feeding insects damaging the eye and introducing pathogens to the host. Lachryphagy has been studied as a form of commensalism and puddling.

It is best known as a behavior of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). Flies, stingless bees, and other insects such as cockroaches and lice have also been recorded feeding on tears, and there is evidence that some stingless bee colonies in Southeast Asia have specialized tear collectors as a division of labor.

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