In our Northwestern Pennsylvania summers many gardeners provide bird baths in their gardens.

The bath needs to be cleaned regularly and filled with fresh shallow water.

Likewise butterflies need a butterfly bath. These also need to be kept clean and filled with an appropriate amount of shallow water. Our pollinators also need water to help in digestion, reproduction and just to get a drink.

The bumblebee bath, at right, can be made of any shallow dish. All you need to do is place stones in the water to give the bumblebees a dry perch.

I like to put my baths in a close place where I can see the animals but far enough away so the animals feel secure and comfortable.

Rebecca Norton Ryan is a Penn State Extension Master Gardener and member of the Warren Garden Club.