Puddling

When our son was about four years old my parents were taking care of the kids for the day while H and I were canoeing on the river. Our son had a plank laid across some water in front of the house; he was walking on the plank when he fell off and got soaked with somewhat muddy water. My mother brought him in the house, cleaned him up, changed his clothes and sent him back out to play. He proceeded to walk the plank again – and fell off AGAIN.

That’s a famous family story, but not the kind of puddling this post is really about.

Butterflies feed primarily on the nectar produced by flowering plants – but nectar is almost pure sugar water lacking in many vital nutrients. What’s a poor butterfly to do?

To acquire those nutrients butterflies “puddle”. They visit moist areas: mud puddles, rotting mammal or bird carcasses, decaying plants, feces, blood and urine to suck up fluids containing the needed nutrients. It’s mostly, but not exclusively, males that puddle to help them successfully reproduce.

Examples of puddling –

Puddling may seem gross, but if butterflies didn’t get their nutrients some species of plants might not be pollinated and we probably wouldn't have these beautiful creatures to enjoy.