Puddling Area for Butterflies?

Hi All,

I posted this over on the butterfly forum, but not a lot of response. Has anyone put in a puddling area along the edge of the pond or stream for butterflies?

I'm going to be putting in a pond and stream with a pebble beach. I'm not sure if there will be enough minerals in the pebble water of if I need to do some sort of a bog treatment for butterflies. Or, forget it all together and put in a puddling area somewhere else.

I'm looking for visual examples of this and am not getting very far.

thanks.

Hello neighbor! Your more than welcome to visit my pond and stream. I am going into my second season and learned a lot about ponding and the health of koi fish. Are you planning on keep fish? If so what type because that makes a big difference on the choices you make with regards to pebbles on the bottom or not.

With water gardens, the wording for a wet area is bog. There is a thread here that we were discussing on making a bog and growing lotus' in. I plan to do this once the soil warms up and I can dig it. I tried to dig today . . . wishful thinking! My bog will be near my pond but not joined to it. I may dig two bogs because I bought a lot of lotus' on the water lilly co-op here at Daves . . .

I also like butterflies and hummingbirds and have a lot of their favorite plants around my pond. I saw a ton of butterflies last year and occasionally they sunned themselves on a rock in my stream. The hummingbirds that I have "entertained the last few years seemed to have minded that I put in a pond last year. It wasn't till the end of the summer when I started seeing them again. Normally they were here almost everyday like clockwork. Maybe all the environmental changes in my landscape confused them.

Tell me more about your plans!
Linda

Butterflys will readily drink from a patch of damp sand. A simple depression in the ground, or a buried saucer filled with sand that's kept perpetually moist will draw lots of butterflys.

http://www.noahsnotes.com/butterfly.html

Thanks Linda! Yes, I know about bogs. I had not really planned on putting in one and if I did it would only be VERY small. I'll be putting in an Aquascape small pond and stream in 2010. This year will only be adding the electric in the area, and a small 15G sunken tub just to have something. I've been waiting 5 year (moved to this house) for this!

For fish, I will keep only goldfish. This is what I had in my last pond and I was quite happy. I'm not sure I enjoy how large the koi get (had 2 before). I want to add a pebble beach on the side for the birds, plus I have some nice smooth rocks for that section.

Thanks for reminding me about a sunning rock. I will have those anyway in my butterfly garden (new this year) and I'll have to put in a few at the pond. That's interesting about the hummingbirds. I only get the fall migration too, though I'm trying to change that.

Like I said, I might just forget about this area for butterflies and put the puddling area out in the butterfly garden anyway.

Thanks snapple, I do know about creating a puddling area, I am looking for creative ideas to incorporate into the pond area. Although, the front of the pond will get sun, the stream will be in light shade most of the day.

You're way ahead of me. It sounds lovely. Please post pictures as you progress. I'm looking forward to them.

I've learned so much from the butterfly forum about puddling. there is great success with even the smallest of setups! Last year I only set up a rubbermaid tub. Not many takers until the end of the season though.

Here are three things I've had my eye on from the forum…

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=1026406

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=3618858

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=3934901

I had never thought of doing something like that. Will definately have one of those this year. Thanks for the idea!

Cool Mrs_Ed - thanks for the ideas!