Butterfly Puddling

Butterfly Puddling

Adult butterflies frequently drink water contaminated with excrement or sweat and may suck up the sweat from the skin . It is possible that this habitat may be connected with salt requirement . Newly emerged adults of the both sexes usually have enough reserve of sodium in their body . The females replenish their sodium reserve through the sperm received from the males during copulation . Males make up this loss of sodium by drinking contaminated water or sweat or other sources such as urine and excreta in damp patches . Very often a large congregation of many species of butterflies is seen in these patches . This behaviour is known as puddling ( mud puddling ). Only male butterflies take part in mud puddlings .

Basking