Bee and Butterfly Puddles

Take a shallow container and fill it with sand, gravel, or dirt. Then saturate with water until it puddles. A few small stones added to the mixture will give butterflies and bees a place to sit while they drink.

Place the container in a sunny area near plants that the butterflies and bees frequent. You have created a tiny pollinator-sized "drinking fountain"!



Small puddles are best. Puddles that are a few inches across and less than one-half inch deep are big enough.

Butterflies often puddle together. Male butterflies in particular gain sodium and other nutrients important to sperm production when they puddle together in muddy areas.

Be sure that any dirt or mixture you use does not contain chemicals, as these may harm pollinators.

Refill your pollinator puddle when it gets dry, and enjoy!