The capture of $SO_2$ at or close to the temperatures of real flue gas is much more attractive in application. In this work, two kinds of ionic liquids (ILs) based on lactate anion were used to absorb $SO_2$ at high temperatures from 100 to $120^{circ}C$. The ILs show high absorption capacities of over one mol $SO_2$ per mol IL at $110^{circ}C$. The absorption of $SO_2$ by the ILs based on lactate anion is reversible and the ILs can be reused for the capture of $SO_2$ at high temperatures with high absorption capacity and thermal stability. Furthermore, the absorption mechanism of $SO_2$ by the ILs was studied by FT-IR, $^1H$ NMR and $^{13}C$ NMR spectra. It has been found that there are strong chemical interactions between the ILs and $SO_2$. Also the absorption mechanism is different when there is water present in ILs compared to when there is not.