What is puddling and why is it important to butterflies?
Males of many butterfly species commonly gather at stream banks, mud puddles, moist gravel or damp sand for access to water, dissolved salts and amino acids. To attract males, the simplest method is to fill a large plastic container with sand. Locate an open, sun-lit area of the garden and dig a shallow hole and place the container in the ground, so that the rim is even with the top of the soil. Fill in around the edges with wet sand. The plastic container will hold in the water and keep the sand moist for some time.
