Mudpuddling of Spot Swordtail Butterfly

Notes:

Mudpuddling usually involves newly hatched males. It is often a social activity where at times several hundred butterflies, especially males of one or more species, can be seen on damp sand or mud banks. Mudpuddling males often spend a long time on these damp patches, where they suck salts along with water. Except for a few exceptions, most butterflies mud-puddle. Among Swallow-tails the Common Bluebottle, Common Jay, Glassy Bluebottle, Spot Swordtail are avid mudpuddlers and are often seen together in large congregations of a single species. In pierids, Common and Mottled Emigrants, Grass Yellows, Sawtooths, Gulls, Puffins and Albatross are very often seen on damp patches. However, Common Jazebel does not seem to mudpuddle. Almost all Brush-footed butterflies, including Tigers, Crows and Browns are mudpuddlers. Blues are also seen congregating on damp patches. Skippers too mudpuddle, but unlike other butterflies, they are never seen in single-species congregations.