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Gloucester Master Gardeners

Butterflies


Plant

Butterfly

Use

 

 

 

Amelanchier sp.- Service berry

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Asclepias incarnata - Swamp Milkweed

Papilio sp.-  Swallowtails

nectar

Asclepias tuberosa - Butterflyweed

Celastrina ladonargiolus - Spring Azure

nectar

Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed

Asclepias purpurascens – Purple Milkweed                   

Danaus plexippus – Monarch

 

nectar and caterpillar host

Asclepias verticillata – Whorled Milkweed

Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary

nectar

 

Strymon melinus - Gray Hairstreak

nectar

 

Epargyreus clarus - Silver Spotted Skipper

nectar

 

 

 

Amorpha fruticosa - Indigo Bush

Colias cesonia - Southern Dogface

caterpillar host

 

Epargyreus clarus - Silver Spotted Skipper

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Amsonia tabernaemontana- Bluestar

several species

nectar

Amsonia hubrectii – Narrow Leaf Amsonia

Nymphalis antiopa - Mourning Cloak

nectar

(and other sp.)

 

 

 

Antennaria plantaginifolia - Pussy-toes

 

Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady

 

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Asimina triloba - Paw Paw

Eurytides marcellus - Zebra Swallowtail

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Aster grandiflorus - Great Aster

Colias philodice - Clouded Sulphur

nectar

Aster laevis - Smooth Aster

Celastrina ladon argiolus - Spring Azure

nectar

Aster novae-angliae - New England Aster

Phyciodes tharos - Pearl Crescent

nectar and caterpillar host

(and other sp.)

Junonia coenia - Buckeye

nectar

 

Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady

nectar

 

Pyrgus communis - Checkered Skipper

nectar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baptisia australis - Wild Blue Indigo

Erynnis baptisiae - Wild Indigo Duskywing

caterpillar host

 

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Boltonia asteroides - Boltonia

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Carya sp. – Hickory, Pecan

Calycopsis cecrops - Red Banded Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

Satyrium calanus - Banded Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Ceanothus americanus - New Jersey Tea

several species                                   

nectar

 

 

 

 

 

Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry

 

 

Nymphalis antiopa - Mourning Cloak

 

 

caterpillar host

 

Libytheana bachmanii - Snout Butterfly

caterpillar host

 

Polygonia comma - Comma

caterpillar host

 

Polygonia interrogationis - Question Mark

caterpillar host

 

Asterocampa celtis - Hackberry Butterfly

caterpillar host

 

Asterocampa clyton - Tawny Emperor

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Cephalanthus occidentalis - Buttonbush

Papilio sp.-  Swallowtails

nectar

 

Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary

nectar

 

 

 

Cercis canadensis - Eastern Redbud

Callophrys henrici - Henry's Elfin

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Chelone sp. – White and Pink Turtlehead

Euphydryas phaeton - Baltimore Checkerspot

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Clethra alnifolia - Summersweet

several species                                   

nectar

 

 

 

Crataegus phaenopyrum -Washington Hawthorn

(and other sp.)

Satyrium liparops - Striped Hairstreak

Limenitis arthemis - White Admiral, Red Spotted Purple

caterpillar host

caterpillar host

 

 

Coreopsis tripteris - Tall Coreopsis

Coreopsis lanceolata – Lance Leaf Coreopsis

 

 

several species                                   

 

 

nectar

(and other sp.)

 

 

 

Cornus amomum - Silky Dogwood

Cornus florida – Flowering Dogwood

Celastrina ladon argiolus - Spring Azure

caterpillar host

( and other sp.)

 

 

 

 

 

Echinacea pallida - Pale Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower

several species                                    

nectar

(and other sp.)

 

 

 

 

 

Eupatorium purpureum - Joe Pye Weed

 (and other sp.)

Papilio glaucus - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Epargyreus clarus – Silver Spotted Skipper

nectar

nectar

 

 

 

Euphorbia corollata - Flowering spurge

Danaus plexippus - Monarch

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Grasses - native species

many species

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Helenium autumnale

several species                                   

nectar

 

 

 

 

Helianthus angustifolius – Swamp Sunflower

Helianthus giganteus - Giant Sunflower

 ( and other sp.)

 

several species                                   

 

nectar

 

 

 

Hibiscus moscheutos - Rose Mallow

Phoebis sennae - Cloudless Sulphur

nectar

 

Strymon melinus - Gray Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

Pyrgus communis - Checkered Skipper

caterpillar host

 

Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady

caterpillar host

 

several species

nectar

 

Ilex opaca (and other sp.) - American Holly

 

Callophrys henrici - Henry's Elfin

 

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Itea virginica - Virginia Sweetspire

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Juglans nigra - Black Walnut

Calycopsis cecrops - Red Banded Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

Satyrium calanus - Banded Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Juniperus virginiana - Eastern Red Cedar

Callophrys gryneus - Juniper Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Kosteletskya virginica - Seashore Mallow

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Liatris graminifolia – Grass Leaved Blazingstar

several species

nectar

Liatris squarrosa - Button Blazingstar

 

 

 

 

 

Lilium superbum - Turk's Cap

Papilio sp.-  Swallowtails

nectar

 

 

 

Lindera benzoin - Spicebush

Papilio troilus - Spicebush Swallowtail

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip Poplar

Papilio glaucus - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal flower

Papilio sp.-  Swallowtails

nectar

 

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Lonicera sempervirens - Coral Honeysuckle

Epargyreus clarus - Silver Spotted Skipper

nectar

 

 

 

Lupinus perennis - Lupine

Colias philodice - Clouded Sulphur

caterpillar host

 

Vanessa cardui - Painted Lady

caterpillar host

 

Epargyreus clarus - Silver Spotted Skipper

caterpillar host

 

Everes comyntas - Eastern Tailed Blue

caterpillar host

 

Phoebis sennae - Cloudless Giant Sulphur

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Magnolia virginiana - Sweet Bay

Papilio glaucus -    Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Malus sp. - Crabapple

Limenitis archippus - Viceroy

caterpillar host

 

Limenitis arthemis - White Admiral, Red Spotted Purple

Satyrium liparops - Striped Hairstreak

Celastrina ladon argiolus - Spring Azure

some species prefer it's rotting fruit over nectar

caterpillar host

 

caterpillar host

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Monarda fistulosa – Bergamot

Monarda punctata - Horsemint

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Myrica cerifera - Wax Myrtle

Calycopsis cecrops - Red-banded Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Passiflora incarnata - Passion Vine

Euptoieta claudia - Variegated Fritillary

caterpillar host

 

Agraulis vanillae - Gulf Fritillary

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Penstemon digitalis - Beardtongue

Junonia coenia - Buckeye

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Persea borbonia - Redbay

Papilio palamedes - Palamedes Swallowtail

caterpillar host

 

Papilio troilus - Spicebush Swallowtail

caterpillar host

 

 

Phlox paniculata - Summer Phlox

Phlox stolonifera – Creeping Phlox

Phlox divaricatus – Blue Woodland Phlox

 

 

several species

 

 

nectar

( and other sp.)

 

 

 

Physocarpus opulifolius - Ninebark

 

Celastrina ladon argiolus - Spring Azure

 

caterpillar host

 

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Pityopsis graminifolia - Silky Goldenaster

several species

nectar

 

 

 

Pontederia cordata - Pickerelweed

Epargyreus clarus - Silver Spotted Skipper

nectar

 

 

 

Prunus serotina - Black Cherry

Papilio glaucus - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

caterpillar host

(and other sp.)

Limenitis arthemis - White Admiral, Red Spotted Purple

caterpillar host

 

Celastrina ladon argiolus - Spring Azure

caterpillar host

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium -Narrow Mountain Mint

several species

nectar

(and other sp.)

 

 

 

 

 

Quercus sp.

 

 

 

Calycopsis cecrops - Red Banded Hairstreak

 

 

 

caterpillar host

 

Erynnis horatius - Horace's Dusky Wing

caterpillar host

 

Satyrium calanus - Banded Hairstreak

caterpillar host

 

Limenitis arthemis - White Admiral, Red Spotted Purple

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Rhododendron atlanticum - Coastal Azalea

 

 

 

Papilio - Swallowtails

 

 

 

nectar

Rhododendron viscosum - Swamp Azalea

Euptoieta - Fritillaries

nectar

(and other sp.)

Danaus - Monarch

nectar

 

Hairstreaks

nectar

 

Skippers

nectar

 

 

 

Rosa palustris - Swamp Rose

Rosa Carolina – Carolina Rose

 

Satyrium - Brown Hairstreaks

 

caterpillar host

 

several species

nectar

Rudbeckia fulgida - Black Eyed Susan

several species

nectar

Rudbeckia lanciniata - Green Headed Coneflower     

 

 

Rudbeckia triloba – Brown Eyed Susan

(and other sp.)

 

 

 

Ruellia humilis - Wild Petunia

 

Junonia coenia - Buckeye

 

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Salix sp. - Willows

Limenitis arthemis - White Admiral, Red Spotted Purple

caterpillar host

 

Nymphalis antiopa - Mourning Cloak

caterpillar host

 

Limenitis archippus - Viceroy

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Salvia azurea - Blue Sage

many species

nectar

( and other sp.)

 

 

 

Sassafras albidum - Sassafras

 

Papilio troilus - Spicebush Swallowtail

 

caterpillar host

 

 

 

Silphium perfoliatum - Indian Cup Plant

several species

nectar

 

leaves form cup to hold rain and dew

water source

 

 

 

Solidago odora - Sweet Goldenrod

several species

nectar

Solidago rugosa - Rough Goldenrod

 

 

(and other sp.)

 

 

 

 

 

Tephrosia viginiana - Goat's Rue

Thorybes bathyllus - Southern Cloudywing