As you begin to plan your butterfly garden, look for areas around your yard that have at least six hours of sun each day. In South Carolina summers, areas with morning to mid-afternoon sun seem to work best. On cool mornings, butterflies need to warm their bodies before they can become active. To do this, they often sit on a reflective surface such as a flat stone, spread their wings, and turn their backs to the sun. Their wings work like solar panels, absorbing the sun's warmth that is then transferred to their bodies.
Butterflies often gather in groups on wet sand or mud, and look like they are eating.
This activity is called puddling , and they do it to obtain the minerals that are found in the soil. You can create a puddling place in your garden by placing a shallow pan in the soil, filling it with coarse sand, and keeping it moist. Locate the puddling area under a soaker hose or near a drip emitter to help keep the sand moist. There are some butterflies that rarely feed on nectar and will only visit a garden if it has some extra touches , such as rotten fruit or manure. Small amounts of fresh manure also will attract butterflies.