A swarm of adult male butterflies 'puddling' (Image: Getty) Gardeners are being urged to create muddy puddles in their gardens before the end of August. This unusual plea to gardeners is actually to help butterflies breed. This is because male butterflies go "puddling" in August.
This behaviour sees male butterflies congregate around mud puddles. They gather around these water sources to drink - and take in essential salts and minerals from the soil. Sean McMenemy, a garden wildlife expert and founder of Ark Wildlife , said male butterflies "often engage in mud-puddling as a way of charming the ladies".
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Log('[Load] OVP flagTcfLoaded',new Date())}else{document.addEventListener("tcfLoaded",()=>{loadOvpScript()ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP tcfLoaded',new Date())})}},1500)}) READ NEXT Cats and foxes will never poo in gardens and won't return with one kitchen item Common Blue butterflies puddling (Image: Getty) He t old IdealHome: "Puddling is also a vital part of butterfly behaviour.
When they’re not fluttering about, male butterflies often engage in mud-puddling as a way of charming the ladies!" "Creating a puddling spot for butterflies is easy. Simply mix some soil with water in a shallow dish, place it in a spot that gets a good mix of direct sunlight and shade, and keep it topped up with water. "If you want a more straightforward solution, consider adding a Universal Wildlife Water Drinker - perfect for all garden wildlife.
" Creating muddy puddles is one of many jobs that gardeners are urged to tackle in August - which is a very busy month in our gardens. Trending Do you want your chives to thrive? (Image: Getty) These other jobs include pruning - with everything from evergreen shrubs like hebes to summer-flowering plants like lavender benefitting from a trim. Cutting back perennial herbs, like mint, parsley, thyme, and oregano also encourages fresh new growth.
So, if you want your chives to thrive, get out your knives. You should also be deadheading spent flowers from your beds and borders. This can help ensure your plants maintain a healthy, continual bloom.
Other jobs include ensuring your garden remains well-watered. Plants, pots, and lawns all need to stay hydrated - especially during hot weather, like we're expecting in the week ahead. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you.
This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy Gardens may need watering (Image: Getty) Some container plants and tomatoes will also need feeding.
For the latter, you use a high potash tomato feed - and remove the lower-level leaves to help reduce the risk of disease. Of course, you should be getting a good supply of tomatoes at this time of the year, and it is also the time to harvest radishes, beetroot, and lettuces. Picking baby courgettes will encourage more to follow.
And remember to keep your squash and pumpkins well-watered while they ripen under the summer sun..
