Mud Puddle for Butterflies. |
An easy addition to the garden to attract butterflies is a muddy area. They are attracted to mud for the minerals in the soil. This type of habitat can be easily duplicated in the garden. |
Waterlogged soil with some rocks pushed in to the mud is basically all that is required. Small stones can be added, depending on the size of the container. |
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We used a 3 inch deep container, a few small rocks and a couple of stones and soil. By supplying this mixture in a container it can be placed in a viewing area. |
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Fill the container with soil and sprinkle a little table salt on it. Push in the flat rocks leaving them just above the surface. Small stones can be added between the rocks. |
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Place the container where you can observe the butterflies that use it. It can be buried up to the rim in the garden, or placed on a stand or even hung up. We stood this one on a stone flower pot. |
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Set it in a sunny location, preferably near some flowers. |
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The next step is to make the mud, fill the container with water. This should be done once or twice daily, until the soil becomes saturated, forming a standing puddle. Check it daily making sure that it contains standing water every day. |
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An extra snack can be achieved by dribbling a little maple syrup on the rocks once you see some butterflies using it.. |