Butterfly Puddling
by Debra Martz
Title
Butterfly Puddling
Artist
Debra Martz
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Butterfly Puddling by Debra Martz
I had no idea what was going on here when I captured this gathering of butterflies along a hiking trail at South Llano River State Park (located near Junction, Texas). So I went to Google and started searching for information and I found a quite interesting article titled "Mud-puddling...the Butterfly's Dirty Little Secret" by naturalist and butterfly expert Andre Coetze.
He states that butterflies (though not all varieties) will congregate around mud, dung and even decaying corpses! I say, YUCK! His article went on to explain the icky phenomenon. It is believed that it is mainly the male butterflies which congregate on mud and other such substances primarily for salts. "Males seem to benefit more from the sodium uptake as it aids in reproductive success, with the precious nutrients often transferred to the female during mating. This extra nutrition helps ensure that the eggs survive."
And if you want to read more you can find it here... https://www.earthtouchnews.com/in-the-field/backyard-wildlife/mud-puddling-the-butterflys-dirty-little-secret/
Image ©Debra Martz
In My Gallery/Collection
"Butterflies Bees Insects"
20190429-DSC_6794
Uploaded
June 24th, 2019
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Viewed 3,264 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/18/2024 at 6:38 PM
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Comments (72)
Pat Goltz 4 Days Ago
I did read that puddling is for the purpose of getting minerals that are in water. I never saw butterflies puddling on manure or corpses.
Angela Davies
Fascinating capture and information, I have seen them collecting on mud at water's edge near lake beaches also. LF
Heidi Fickinger
Congratulations on your Special Artis of the Week in Camera Art! Well deserved. I am not at all surprised by this photo and what you found. Growing up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we often found large groups of butterflys feeding on dead animals and congregating in muddy areas. Many mostly nectar eating creatures often consume protein, including butterflies, which often catch small gnats and other insects.
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