Most people love animals and flowers. But most people don’t love it when animals eat their flowers. However, we must accept that it’s part of nature. A wide variety of animals live to make a meal of flowers. Some are attracted to the smell and taste. Others need the nectar and nutrients for optimum survival.
17 Animals That Eat Flowers
From rabbits to snails and sunflowers to roses. Animals have been munching on flowers since time began. Read on to see fabulous photos and facts about 17 animals that eat flowers.
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1. Rabbits
Scientific name: Leporidae
When not burrowing underground, these small furry mammals love to make a feast of just about any flower they can get their paws on. However, some are more appetizing than others. So much so, a rabbit will take up residence in an area where its favorite flower is in abundance. Some favorites of the rabbit include:
- impatiens
- pansy
- morning glory
- petunia
- snapdragon
- iris
- tulips
- daisy
A natural, non-harmful way to keep the bunnies (and other animals) at bay is to plant shrubs and flowers that they don’t like.
2. Turtles
Scientific name: Testudines
These shelled reptiles are definitely cold-blooded when it comes to our flower beds. Though slow to move, they will seek out the opportunity to chomp away on flowers. Some of their favorites include:
- geraniums
- carnations
- hibiscus
- roses
Some people will plant decoy flowers to keep the turtle away from the real things.
3. Moose
Scientific name: Alces alces
One might think these large beasts, weighing up to 1500 hundred pounds, might need more than flowers. They do. Moose eat a lot of leaves, twigs, and buds. That’s not to say they don’t enjoy a snack of some sweet smelling flowers. Moose will eat flowers such as:
- water lilies
- tulips
- horsetail
4. Deer
Scientific name: Cervidae
Deer can adapt to and live in a variety of habitats. Forests, thickets, prairies, and even urban areas are places where the deer species can be found. No matter where they live, one thing is for sure, they’ll be looking for flowers. Some of their favorites are:
- daffodils
- sunflowers
- dahlias
- tulips
- goldenrod
- cosmos
- hyacinths
Deer loves flowers with a soft smell. If you want to keep them away, plant more strong smelling flowers around the flower bed.
5. Catepillar
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Scientific name: Lepidoptera
Caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies or moths. Molting several times before their transformation, they are voracious eaters. Living on and eating plant material, they love flowers like:
- milkweed
- snapdragons
- lupine
- violets
- lilacs
- daisies
- hollyhock
- verbena
6. Bees
Scientific name: Anthophila
Though bees do get nutrients from flowers, they also help humans by pollinating the flowers. Giving back what they take. Also, the flower nutrients are taken back to the hive to feed the bee larvae. Some bee favorites include:
- honeysuckle
- indigo
- coneflower
- black-eyed Susan
- goldenrod
- peonies
- marigolds
7. Butterfly
Scientific name: Rhopalocera
With large colorful wings, butterflies are found all over the world. Chances are when you see one, flowers are not too far away. Some butterfly favorites are:
- purple coneflower
- hibiscus
- lavender
- lilac
- aster
8. Groundhog
Scientific name: Marmota monax
These furry, burrowing pests may not be great at predicting the weather, but they do love to chew their way through some flowers including:
- marigolds
- daylilies
- roses
- zinnias
- impatiens
- petunias
9. Snail
Scientific name: Gastropoda
These shelled, mucus-laden creatures have anywhere from 14,000 to 20,000 teeth! So, while they look harmless, even cute while slugging along in your garden. They’re really looking for their favorite flowers to sink all those teeth into like:
- violets
- lilies
- marigolds
- dahlias
- larkspur
- dandelions
10. Squirrel
Scientific name: Sciuridae
While squirrels are well known for eating nuts, berries, and even cable wires, they love a good flower too. Watch out for these puffy-tailed rodents if you have these flowers:
- tulips
- hibiscus
- petunias
- sunflowers
- impatiens
11. Birds
Scientific name: Aves
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According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, there are 2,059 species of birds in North America. Just about all of them eat flowers. Many will eat the flower blossoms of trees like the apple, pear, and peach. Birds also enjoy:
- sunflowers
- marigolds
- daisies
- aster
- coneflower
- black-eyed Susan
12. Beetle
Scientific name: Coleoptera
With over 300,000 species, beetles make up 40% of the insect population. Called “dirty pollinators”, they compliment the pollination work of bees and butterflies by eating flowers then defecating on them! The flowers they like are:
- roses
- magnolias
- tulips
- water lilies
- goldenrod
- wintersweet
13. Iguana
Scientific name: Iguanidae
The Iguana is a reptile that is exclusively an herbivore. This species munches on a variety of vegetation and foliage. Flowers they are attracted to include:
- geraniums
- carnations
- marigolds
- snapdragons
- pansies
14. Cats
Scientific name: Felis catus
Cats do not just eat our flowers to annoy us. Certain flowers contain many nutrients that cats need. They are often attracted to:
- roses
- daisies
- snapdragons
- carnations
15. Tortoise
Scientific name: Testudindae
Many different types of tortoise will graze throughout the day on a variety of plants. The flowers they enjoy are:
- dandolions
- pansies
- chickweed
- geraniums
- violet
16. Chipmunk
Scientific name: Tamias
Chipmunks are small, striped rodents with chubby cheeks found all over North America. Their diet consists of seeds, insects, bird eggs, and plant matter. The chipmunk will eat any part of a flower including the stem and bulbs. Some flowers they consume are:
- marigolds
- petunias
- impatiens
- sunflowers
- verbena
- tulips
17. Voles
Scientific name: Microtus
Voles are small rodents related to the hamster. In North America, they are often referred to as field mice. These tiny animals love a variety of flowers and bulbs. These include:
- crocus
- tulips
- hyacinths
- daisies
- lilies
- dahlias
- peonies
- iris
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