I read in a magazine today that if you place a dish with dampened salt in it, the butterflies will come & stay for hours. Is this a fact? Is it safe/healthy for them to eat salt? Or am I thinking too much like a human? Anyone else heard of this before? Thanks...
Julie
Butterflies attracted to salt?
I have heard of them "puddling", they land at puddles and drink from them because the muddy water has minerals that they need and are attracted to.
Never heard of the salt thing, but all creatures need salt.
I have seen a puddle full of monarchs - most amazing thing. I guessed at the time that here in the desert they would gather at a shallow puddle. Now it makes sense they were getting some minerals from it.
There were little "flicker" butterflies landing on the shaded concrete porch today and I got closer and they had their probiscus(es?/i?) out. But there was no liquid.. I wonder what they were doing.
I have Bamboo in water & pebbles for the wasps to drink, but no butterflies come to it. I hesitate to place salt in a dish for fear that it may harm them... I'll keep looking!