Effect of soil mineral composition on butterfly puddling in Kaptai National Park, Bangladesh

Abstract: Butterfly puddling, a behavior typically exhibited by male butterflies, involves aggregating on moist or muddy surfaces to ingest mineral-rich fluids essential for obtaining vital minerals and salts required for various biological functions. This study explores the relationship between butterfly puddling activity and soil mineral composition in Kaptai National Park (Kaptai NP), Bangladesh. Forty four butterfly species, representing eight families (Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Danaidae, Nymphalidae, Satyridae, Hesperiidae and Acraeidae), were observed puddling at eight sites (S1-S8) across the Ram Pahar and Sita Pahar regions of Kaptai NP. Soil samples collected from each puddling site were analyzed to assess the relationship between butterfly species abundance and soil mineral content. The analysis revealed 21 distinct soil minerals corresponding to six key nutrient elements, such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphate and iron. Significant correlations were observed between soil mineral content and butterfly abundance during puddling across all study sites. The findings demonstrated that sites with higher mineral diversity, such as Shilchori (S3) in Ram Pahar and Jamai Chora (S8) in Sita Pahar, which contained 18 distinct minerals, supported 40 and 44 butterfly species, respectively. In contrast, Ronir Chora (S6) in Sita Pahar, with 11 mineral types, supported only 10 species. Furthermore, the study found that puddling activity was more prevalent during the Wet season and Post-monsoon season than in the Dry season. These results emphasize the critical role of soil mineral content in influencing butterfly abundance and diversity, highlighting the importance of mineral-rich habitats for sustaining butterfly populations in Kaptai NP and emphasizing the need for conservation efforts to protect this biodiversity hotspot. 

Keywords: Butterfly, soil minerals, puddling, kaptai national park