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Creating my own butterfly puddle.

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posted 3 years ago

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Hey folks! I wanna find out how can I create a butterfly puddle with simple material and stuff. And could I add fruit to reel in more butterflies? Please drop in some feedback and stuff if you need me. Take care!

Matt McSpadden

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posted 3 years ago

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Hi Blake,
I think a butterfly puddle is a great idea. The two things that come to mind, is wind breaks and food. The fruit could help, but I would recommend a large patch of flowers that the butterflies like for food, with the puddle in the middle so the wind doesn't bother them while drinking.

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Blake Lenoir

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posted 3 years ago

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Hey there! I was wondering if I gotta have sand with a ton of minerals including salt for butterflies to feed off from. And do I gotta add more water to keep the sand moist? I'd like to feed and bathe butterflies at the same time for months to come.

Matt McSpadden

gardener

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Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

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posted 3 years ago

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I am not a butterfly expert, but I have seen many butterflies gathering at puddles that just happen to form in a driveway. While there may be some perfect solution with which to create the puddle, I would again suggest you focus on keeping clean water available (without it getting too hot) and focus on the flowers for food in the vicinity, which should help provide those minerals needed by butterflies. I may very well be corrected by a butterfly expert, but I imagine some fresh water will be so much better than nothing, that it shouldn't be a big deal if you end up adding some minerals down the road.

Anne Miller

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Location: USDA Zone 8a

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posted 3 years ago

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Matt said, "focus on the flowers for food in the vicinity, which should help provide those minerals needed by butterflies.

This! I like this suggestion.

Everything I have read on butterfly puddles suggests using a dish to put the mud or sand in. That will give mud/sand in the puddle more of a chance to not dry out.

Bees will also love the puddles.

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Blake Lenoir

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posted 3 years ago

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I've added rocks for perching, and butterflies liked it. Could I widen my bath to draw more butterflies?

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