Mud Puddling Butterflies

Why do butterflies meet and puddle in the mud? Butterflies get most of their nutrition from flower nectar. But although rich in sugar nectar lacks some importan...
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Why do butterflies meet and puddle in the mud? Butterflies get most of their nutrition from flower nectar. But although rich in sugar nectar lacks some important nutrients that butterflies need for reproduction. By sipping moisture in from mud puddles, butterflies take in salts and minerals from the soil. This behaviour is called, 'Mud Puddling,' and is mostly seen in male butterflies. That's because males incorporate these extra salts and minerals into their sperm. These extra salts and minerals improve the viability of the females eggs, increasing the couples chances of passing on their genes to another generation. When butterflies mate the nutrients are transferred to the females through the sperm. I also noticed that when new butterflies came to join and accompany them they demonstrated a kind of wing quivering dance.
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