While visiting one of the Conservancy's easements last week, I came across several Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies that were feeding on manure at the edge of a horse paddock.

Image

While the diet of most butterfly species consists mainly of flower nectar, even a butterfly cannot live on sugar alone.  Nectar lacks some of the nutrients needed for reproductive success.  This is why you will often see butterflies crowded around mud puddles, a behavior known as "puddling."  Salt and minerals are extracted from the mud to enrich the butterfly's diet.  Others will feast on manure or rotting fruit to obtain essential nutrients.