A Butterfly Garden for Milkweed

[TimSaupe]

Originally Posted by milkweed

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) are they native?

Nope, I believe this is a naturalized European native.

[NEWisc]

We've whittled down our list:

Butterflies:

Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae)
Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)

Grass Skippers (Hesperiinae)
Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier)
Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
Leonard's Skipper (Hesperia leonardus)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris)
Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)
Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles)
Crossline Skipper (Polites origenes)
Northern Broken-Dash (Wallengrenia egeremet)
Little Glassywing (Pompeius verna)
Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan)
Hobomok Skipper (Poanes hobomok)
Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon)
Dion Skipper (Euphyes dion)
Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris)
Dusted Skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna)

Swallowtails (Papilioninae)
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

Whites (Pierinae)
Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis)
Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)

Sulphurs (Coliadinae)
Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia)
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea)
Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa)
Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe)
Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)

Harvesters (Miletinae)
Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)

Coppers (Lycaeninae)
Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)

Hairstreaks (Theclinae)
Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus)
Henry's Elfin (Callophrys henrici)
Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Blues (Polyommatinae)
Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)
Spring Azure (Celastrina "ladon")
Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta)

Milkweed Butterflies (Danainae)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Queen (Danaus gilippus)

Longwings (Heliconiinae)
Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)
Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele)
Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia)
Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis)

True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae)
Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone)
Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)
Harris' Checkerspot (Chlosyne harrisii)
Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii)
Baltimore (Euphydryas phaeton)
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)

Admirals and Relatives (Limenitidinae)
Red-spotted Purple or White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis)
'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)

Leafwings (Charaxinae)
Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)

Emperors (Apaturinae)
Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis)
Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton)

Satyrs and Wood-Nymphs (Satyrinae)
Northern Pearly Eye (Enodia anthedon)
Eyed Brown (Satyrodes eurydice)
Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela)
Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)


Moths

Buck and Io Moths (Hemileucinae)
Io moth (Automeris io)

Giant Silkworm Moths (Saturniinae)
Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus)
Cecropia silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia)

Sphinx Moths, Hawkmoths (Sphingidae)
Sphinginae (Sphinginae)
Waved sphinx (Ceratomia undulosa)
Hermit sphinx (Sphinx eremitus)

Macroglossinae (Macroglossinae)
Snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis)
Hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe)


We applied the ideas discussed in Post #16, as well as some not mentioned there. For example, we eliminated non-native species:
European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
American Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
And Milkweed has noted in her posts why some of the other species were removed. Some of the host plants are already present in Milkweed's yard, and nearby neighbors also have some host plants in their yards.

Also if a butterflies requires a prairie setting, would a 35x6 ft flower bed satisfy their needs?

You may not have actual prairie in your area, but you probably do have some 'prairie plant' species in your area. If the butterflies look like they might be in the area based on the distribution maps, I'd say go for it!

Spring Azure (Celastrina "ladon") HOST FLORIDA DOGWOOD, COULD RED OSIER SERVE?

We'll find better sources for host plants than the Butterfly and Moth website - but the answer is yes:
Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
Additional Images | Butterflies and Moths of North America
Caterpillar hosts: Flowers of Dogwoods (Cornus spp.), Viburnums (Viburnum spp.), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus spp.), Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) and Steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa)
[I cheated and went to my other list ]:
http://www.wildlifegardeners.org/for...ly-garden.html


We've still got quite a long list, but we wanted to give consideration to every butterfly that we could. It might seem right now that this would involve getting and growing an awful lot of host plants. But as we go along we'll find that some host plants will serve more than one species. The grass skippers are a good example, we'll be able to accommodate several of them with just one species of grass.

This list will continue to shrink as we continue with the process of creating this butterfly garden. We may find that some host plants are unavailable commercially, or that some of the host plants won't grow in the light or soil conditions available. At this point we're just trying to keep as many choices available as we can.

And we will wind up with lots of pretty butterflies on the list.

[NEWisc]

We're ready to move from butterflies to plants.

We're doing host plants first because these are the plants that are most beneficial to the butterflies. These are the plants that enable the butterflies to continue their species' existence. These plants are essential to the caterpillar stage of the butterfly's life cycle.

But we haven't lost track of our goal that this butterfly garden be pleasing to the gardener too. Not all of the host plants are going to turn out to be desirable for the 'front yard'. There are some options for dealing with this. One would be to place these kinds of plants in an area that is more or less left to grow wild. The 'butterfly garden' doesn't have to consist of just one location in a yard. If a grow wild area is available, consider it as an extension of your butterfly garden. Another spot that might work is in the ditch along the road, just out of reach of the road mowers. Or maybe there's a nearby fence row available.

We're going to do our best to use credible sources when we look for host plants. There's a lot of information out there on the internet and in some books that is questionable at best. We'll use sources like Douglas Tallamy's book and website:
Amazon.com: Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded (9780881929928): Rick Darke, Douglas W. Tallamy: Books
Welcome to the Lepidopteran Ornamental Guide!
And websites like HOSTS:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/research-curation/research/projects/hostplants/index.dsml
And several other sources.

We'll use the USDA PLANTS database as one source of whether a plant is native to Indiana:
Welcome to the PLANTS Database | USDA PLANTS
One thing to keep in mind when using this website is that the initial map only reflects 'distribution', it has nothing to do with whether it's native or not. To see the native status map, click on "View Native Status" at the bottom left of the map.

Throughout we'll try to use the Latin names of plants. We're looking for a specific plant that has an evolutionary link to a specific butterfly. We don't want to get the wrong plant because of variations in common names.

[Sassafras]

This is such a great, useful thread!

[NEWisc]

Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Amorpha canescens – leadplant
Amorpha fruticosa – desert false indigo
Amphicarpaea bracteata – American hogpeanut
Apios americana – groundnut
Astragalus canadensis – Canadian milkvetch
Chamaecrista fasciculata – partridge pea
Chamaecrista nictitans – sensitive partridge pea
Desmodium canadense – showy ticktrefoil
Desmodium canescens – hoary ticktrefoil
Desmodium ciliare – hairy small-leaf ticktrefoil
Desmodium cuspidatum – largebract ticktrefoil
Desmodium glutinosum – pointedleaf ticktrefoil
Desmodium illinoense – Illinois ticktrefoil
Desmodium marilandicum – smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil
Desmodium nudiflorum – nakedflower ticktrefoil
Desmodium obtusum – stiff ticktrefoil
Desmodium paniculatum – panicledleaf ticktrefoil
Desmodium pauciflorum – fewflower ticktrefoil
Desmodium perplexum – perplexed ticktrefoil
Desmodium rotundifolium – prostrate ticktrefoil
Desmodium sessilifolium – sessileleaf ticktrefoil
Glycyrrhiza lepidota – American licorice
Gleditsia aquatica – water locust
Gleditsia triacanthos – honeylocust
Lathyrus palustris – marsh pea
Lathyrus venosus – veiny pea
Lespedeza capitata – roundhead lespedeza
Lespedeza frutescens – shrubby lespedeza
Lespedeza hirta – hairy lespedeza
Lespedeza procumbens – trailing lespedeza
Lespedeza repens – creeping lespedeza
Lespedeza violacea – violet lespedeza
Lespedeza virginica – slender lespedeza
Lotus unifoliolatus – American bird's-foot trefoil
Phaseolus polystachios – thicket bean
Robinia viscosa – clammy locust
Senna hebecarpa – American senna
Senna marilandica – Maryland senna
Wisteria frutescens – American wisteria


Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)
Bidens aristosa – bearded beggarticks
Bidens bipinnata – Spanish needles
Bidens cernua – nodding beggartick
Bidens connata – purplestem beggarticks
Bidens coronata – crowned beggarticks
Bidens discoidea – small beggarticks
Bidens frondosa – devil's beggartick
Bidens tripartita – threelobe beggarticks
Bidens vulgata – big devils beggartick
Clitoria mariana – Atlantic pigeonwings
Desmodium species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)
Galactia volubilis – downy milkpea
Wisteria frutescens – American wisteria


Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)
Amorpha canescens – leadplant
Amorpha fruticosa – desert false indigo
Baptisia alba – white wild indigo
Baptisia australis – blue wild indigo
Baptisia bracteata – longbract wild indigo
Baptisia tinctoria – horseflyweed
Bidens species (see Long-tailed Skipper)
Clitoria mariana – Atlantic pigeonwings
Desmodium species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)
Lespedeza species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)


Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades)
Amorpha canescens – leadplant
Amorpha fruticosa – desert false indigo
Apios americana – groundnut
Astragalus canadensis – Canadian milkvetch
Bidens species (see Long-tailed Skipper)
Desmodium species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)
Galactia volubilis – downy milkpea
Lathyrus palustris – marsh pea
Lathyrus venosus – veiny pea
Lespedeza species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)
Lotus unifoliolatus – American bird's-foot trefoil
Tephrosia virginiana – Virginia tephrosia
Trifolium reflexum – buffalo clover
Trifolium stoloniferum – running buffalo clover
Vicia americana Muhl. ex Willd. – American vetch


Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)
Apios americana – groundnut
Astragalus canadensis – Canadian milkvetch
Clitoria mariana – Atlantic pigeonwings
Desmodium species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)
Lespedeza species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)
Strophostyles helvola – amberique-bean
Strophostyles leiosperma – slickseed fuzzybean
Strophostyles umbellata – pink fuzzybean
Tephrosia virginiana – Virginia tephrosia
Trifolium reflexum – buffalo clover
Trifolium stoloniferum – running buffalo clover


Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)
Aquilegia canadensis – red columbine
Astragalus canadensis – Canadian milkvetch
Baptisia alba – white wild indigo
Baptisia australis – blue wild indigo
Baptisia bracteata – longbract wild indigo
Baptisia tinctoria – horseflyweed
Crotalaria sagittalis – arrowhead rattlebox
Lupinus perennis – sundial lupine


Columbine Duskywing (Erynnis lucilius)
Aquilegia canadensis – red columbine
Lupinus perennis – sundial lupine


Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
Callirhoe alcaeoides – light poppymallow
Callirhoe digitata – winecup
Callirhoe involucrata – purple poppymallow
Callirhoe triangulata – clustered poppymallow
Chenopodium album L. var. missouriense – Missouri lambsquarters
Chenopodium album L. var. striatum – lateflowering goosefoot
Chenopodium berlandieri – pitseed goosefoot
Chenopodium capitatum – blite goosefoot
Sida spinosa – prickly fanpetals


Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus)
Amaranthus arenicola – sandhill amaranth
Amaranthus hybridus – slim amaranth
Amaranthus powellii – Powell's amaranth
Amaranthus retroflexus – redroot amaranth
Amaranthus spinosus – spiny amaranth
Amaranthus tuberculatus – roughfruit amaranth
Ambrosia bidentata – lanceleaf ragweed
Ambrosia psilostachya – Cuman ragweed
Ambrosia trifida – great ragweed
Chenopodium album L. var. missouriense – Missouri lambsquarters
Chenopodium album L. var. striatum – lateflowering goosefoot
Chenopodium berlandieri – pitseed goosefoot
Chenopodium capitatum – blite goosefoot

...

[NEWisc]

Grass Skippers (Hesperiinae)

Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier)
Andropogon gerardii – big bluestem
Andropogon virginicus – broomsedge bluestem
Schizachyrium littorale – shore little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium – little bluestem
Sorghastrum nutans – Indiangrass


Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
Digitaria cognata – fall witchgrass
Digitaria filiformis – slender crabgrass
Digitaria sanguinalis – hairy crabgrass


Leonard's Skipper (Hesperia leonardus)
Agrostis hyemalis – winter bentgrass
Agrostis perennans – upland bentgrass
Agrostis scabra – rough bentgrass
Danthonia spicata – poverty oatgrass
Eragrostis capillaris – lace grass
Eragrostis frankii – sandbar lovegrass
Eragrostis hypnoides – teal lovegrass
Eragrostis pectinacea – tufted lovegrass
Eragrostis pilosa – Indian lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis – purple lovegrass
Eragrostis trichodes – sand lovegrass
Panicum capillare – witchgrass
Panicum dichotomiflorum – fall panicgrass
Panicum flexile – wiry panicgrass
Panicum gattingeri – Gattinger's panicgrass
Panicum philadelphicum – Philadelphia panicgrass
Panicum rigidulum – redtop panicgrass
Panicum virgatum – switchgrass


Sachem (Atalopedes campestris)
Poa palustris – fowl bluegrass
Poa pratensis – Kentucky bluegrass
Poa saltuensis – oldpasture bluegrass
Poa sylvestris – woodland bluegrass
Poa wolfii – Wolf's bluegrass


Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)
Leersia lenticularis – catchfly grass
Leersia oryzoides – rice cutgrass
Leersia virginica – whitegrass
Poa palustris – fowl bluegrass
Poa pratensis – Kentucky bluegrass
Poa saltuensis – oldpasture bluegrass
Poa sylvestris – woodland bluegrass
Poa wolfii – Wolf's bluegrass


Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles)
Dichanthelium acuminatum – tapered rosette grass
Dichanthelium boreale – northern panicgrass
Dichanthelium boscii – Bosc's panicgrass
Dichanthelium clandestinum – deertongue
Dichanthelium commutatum – variable panicgrass
Dichanthelium depauperatum – starved panicgrass
Dichanthelium dichotomum – cypress panicgrass
Dichanthelium latifolium – broadleaf rosette grass
Dichanthelium linearifolium – slimleaf panicgrass
Dichanthelium longiligulatum – coastal plain panicgrass
Dichanthelium meridionale – matting rosette grass
Dichanthelium oligosanthes – Heller's rosette grass
Dichanthelium ovale – eggleaf rosette grass
Dichanthelium sabulorum – hemlock rosette grass
Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon – roundseed panicgrass
Dichanthelium villosissimum – whitehair rosette grass
Digitaria cognata – fall witchgrass
Digitaria filiformis – slender crabgrass
Digitaria sanguinalis – hairy crabgrass
Panicum capillare – witchgrass
Panicum dichotomiflorum – fall panicgrass
Panicum flexile – wiry panicgrass
Panicum gattingeri – Gattinger's panicgrass
Panicum philadelphicum – Philadelphia panicgrass
Panicum rigidulum – redtop panicgrass
Panicum virgatum – switchgrass
Poa palustris – fowl bluegrass
Poa pratensis – Kentucky bluegrass
Poa saltuensis – oldpasture bluegrass
Poa sylvestris – woodland bluegrass
Poa wolfii – Wolf's bluegrass


Crossline Skipper (Polites origenes)
Andropogon gerardii – big bluestem
Andropogon virginicus – broomsedge bluestem
Schizachyrium littorale – shore little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium – little bluestem
Tridens flavus – purpletop tridens


Northern Broken-Dash (Wallengrenia egeremet)
Panicum capillare – witchgrass
Panicum dichotomiflorum – fall panicgrass
Panicum flexile – wiry panicgrass
Panicum gattingeri – Gattinger's panicgrass
Panicum philadelphicum – Philadelphia panicgrass
Panicum rigidulum – redtop panicgrass
Panicum virgatum – switchgrass


Little Glassywing (Pompeius verna)
Tridens flavus – purpletop tridens


Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) (Atrytone delaware) (Atrytone logan)
Andropogon gerardii – big bluestem
Panicum virgatum – switchgrass


Hobomok Skipper (Poanes hobomok)
Eragrostis capillaris – lace grass
Eragrostis frankii – sandbar lovegrass
Eragrostis hypnoides – teal lovegrass
Eragrostis pectinacea – tufted lovegrass
Eragrostis pilosa – Indian lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis – purple lovegrass
Eragrostis trichodes – sand lovegrass
Panicum capillare – witchgrass
Panicum dichotomiflorum – fall panicgrass
Panicum flexile – wiry panicgrass
Panicum gattingeri – Gattinger's panicgrass
Panicum philadelphicum – Philadelphia panicgrass
Panicum rigidulum – redtop panicgrass
Panicum virgatum – switchgrass
Poa palustris – fowl bluegrass
Poa pratensis – Kentucky bluegrass
Poa saltuensis – oldpasture bluegrass
Poa sylvestris – woodland bluegrass
Poa wolfii – Wolf's bluegrass
Tridens flavus – purpletop tridens


Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon)
Agrostis hyemalis – winter bentgrass
Agrostis perennans – upland bentgrass
Agrostis scabra – rough bentgrass
Elymus canadensis – Canada wildrye
Elymus hystrix – eastern bottlebrush grass
Elymus riparius – riverbank wildrye
Elymus submuticus – Virginia wildrye
Elymus trachycaulus – slender wheatgrass
Elymus villosus – hairy wildrye
Elymus virginicus – Virginia wildrye
Eragrostis capillaris – lace grass
Eragrostis frankii – sandbar lovegrass
Eragrostis hypnoides – teal lovegrass
Eragrostis pectinacea – tufted lovegrass
Eragrostis pilosa – Indian lovegrass
Eragrostis spectabilis – purple lovegrass
Eragrostis trichodes – sand lovegrass
Poa palustris – fowl bluegrass
Poa pratensis – Kentucky bluegrass
Poa saltuensis – oldpasture bluegrass
Poa sylvestris – woodland bluegrass
Poa wolfii – Wolf's bluegrass
Tridens flavus – purpletop tridens


Dion Skipper (Euphyes dion)
Carex hyalinolepis – shoreline sedge
Carex lacustris – hairy sedge
Scirpus cyperinus – woolgrass


Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris)
Carex inops ssp. heliophila – sun sedge
Carex stricta – upright sedge


Dusted Skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna)
Andropogon gerardii – big bluestem
Andropogon virginicus – broomsedge bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium – little bluestem
Sorghastrum nutans – Indiangrass

...

[NEWisc]

Swallowtails (Papilioninae)

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
Aristolochia serpentaria – Virginia snakeroot
Aristolochia tomentosa Sims – woolly dutchman's pipe


Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Asimina triloba – pawpaw


Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Angelica atropurpurea – purplestem angelica
Angelica venenosa – hairy angelica
Cicuta bulbifera – bulblet-bearing water hemlock
Cicuta maculata – spotted water hemlock
Cryptotaenia canadensis – Canadian honewort
Eryngium yuccifolium – button eryngo, rattlesnake-master
Osmorhiza claytonii – Clayton's sweetroot
Osmorhiza longistylis – longstyle sweetroot
Oxypolis rigidior – stiff cowbane
Sium suave – hemlock waterparsnip
Taenidia integerrima – yellow pimpernel
Thaspium barbinode – hairyjoint meadowparsnip
Thaspium trifoliatum – purple meadowparsnip
Zizia aptera – meadow zizia, heart-leaved golden alexander
Zizia aurea – golden zizia, golden alexander


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
Many varieties of native trees and shrubs including:
Acer species - maple
Alnus species - alder
Betula species - birch
Carya species - hickory
Carpinus caroliniana Walter ssp. virginiana – American hornbeam
Catalpa species - catalpa
Crataegus species - hawthorn
Fraxinus species - ash
Lindera benzoin – northern spicebush
Liriodendron tulipifera – tuliptree
Malus coronaria – sweet crab apple
Malus ioensis var. ioensis – prairie crab apple
Populus species - cottonwood, poplar, aspen
Prunus species - plum, cherry, sandcherry, chokecherry
Ptelea trifoliata ssp. trifoliata – common hoptree
Quercus species - oak
Salix species - willow
Sassafras albidum – sassafras
Tilia americana – American basswood
Zanthoxylum americanum – common pricklyash


Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
Cercis canadensis var. canadensis – eastern redbud
Lindera benzoin – northern spicebush
Liriodendron tulipifera – tuliptree
Photinia floribunda – purple chokeberry
Photinia melanocarpa – black chokeberry
Zanthoxylum americanum – common pricklyash


Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Ptelea trifoliata ssp. trifoliata – common hoptree
Zanthoxylum americanum – common pricklyash

...

[NEWisc]

Whites (Pierinae)

Checkered White (Pontia protodice)
Arabis canadensis – sicklepod
Arabis glabra – tower rockcress
Arabis hirsuta var. pycnocarpa – creamflower rockcress
Arabis laevigata – smooth rockcress
Arabis lyrata – lyrate rockcress
Arabis shortii – Short's rockcress
Descurainia pinnata ssp. brachycarpa – western tansymustard
Draba reptans – Carolina draba
Lepidium densiflorum var. densiflorum – common pepperweed
Lepidium virginicum var. virginicum – Virginia pepperweed


West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis)
Arabis canadensis – sicklepod
Arabis glabra – tower rockcress
Arabis hirsuta var. pycnocarpa – creamflower rockcress
Arabis laevigata – smooth rockcress
Arabis lyrata – lyrate rockcress
Arabis shortii – Short's rockcress
Cardamine bulbosa – bulbous bittercress
Cardamine concatenata – cutleaf toothwort
Cardamine diphylla – crinkleroot
Cardamine douglassii – limestone bittercress
Cardamine parviflora – sand bittercress
Cardamine pensylvanica – Pennsylvania bittercress


Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea)
Arabis canadensis – sicklepod
Arabis glabra – tower rockcress
Arabis hirsuta var. pycnocarpa – creamflower rockcress
Arabis laevigata – smooth rockcress
Arabis lyrata – lyrate rockcress
Arabis shortii – Short's rockcress
Cardamine bulbosa – bulbous bittercress
Cardamine concatenata – cutleaf toothwort
Cardamine diphylla – crinkleroot
Cardamine douglassii – limestone bittercress
Cardamine parviflora – sand bittercress
Cardamine pensylvanica – Pennsylvania bittercress
Draba reptans – Carolina draba
Lepidium densiflorum var. densiflorum – common pepperweed
Lepidium virginicum var. virginicum – Virginia pepperweed


Sulphurs (Coliadinae)

Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
Astragalus canadensis – Canadian milkvetch
Trifolium reflexum – buffalo clover
Vicia americana ssp. americana – American vetch
Vicia caroliniana – Carolina vetch


Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
Astragalus canadensis – Canadian milkvetch
Baptisia alba – white wild indigo
Baptisia australis – blue wild indigo
Baptisia bracteata – longbract wild indigo
Baptisia tinctoria – horseflyweed
Chamaecrista fasciculata – partridge pea
Chamaecrista – sensitive partridge pea
Lathyrus palustris – marsh pea
Lathyrus venosus – veiny pea
Lespedeza capitata – roundhead lespedeza
Lespedeza frutescens – shrubby lespedeza
Lespedeza hirta – hairy lespedeza
Lespedeza procumbens – trailing lespedeza
Lespedeza repens – creeping lespedeza
Lespedeza violacea – violet lespedeza
Lespedeza virginica – slender lespedeza
Lotus unifoliolatus – American bird's-foot trefoil
Lupinus perennis – sundial lupine
Orbexilum pedunculatum var. pedunculatum – Sampson's snakeroot
Phaseolus polystachios – thicket bean
Psoralidium tenuiflorum – slimflower scurfpea
Senna hebecarpa – American senna
Senna marilandica – Maryland senna
Trifolium reflexum – buffalo clover
Vicia americana ssp. americana – American vetch
Vicia caroliniana – Carolina vetch


Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia)
Amorpha canescens – leadplant
Amorpha fruticosa – desert false indigo
Dalea candida – white prairie clover
Dalea leporina – foxtail prairie clover
Dalea purpurea – purple prairie clover
Trifolium reflexum – buffalo clover


Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Chamaecrista fasciculata – partridge pea
Chamaecrista – sensitive partridge pea
Senna hebecarpa – American senna
Senna marilandica – Maryland senna


Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea)
Chamaecrista fasciculata – partridge pea
Chamaecrista – sensitive partridge pea
Senna hebecarpa – American senna
Senna marilandica – Maryland senna


Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa) (Eurema lisa)
Amphicarpaea bracteata – American hogpeanut
Chamaecrista fasciculata – partridge pea
Chamaecrista – sensitive partridge pea
Desmanthus illinoensis – Illinois bundleflower
Senna hebecarpa – American senna
Senna marilandica – Maryland senna
Trifolium reflexum – buffalo clover


Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe) (Eurema nicippe)
Chamaecrista fasciculata – partridge pea
Chamaecrista – sensitive partridge pea
Senna hebecarpa – American senna
Senna marilandica – Maryland senna


Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)
Bidens aristosa – bearded beggarticks
Bidens bipinnata – Spanish needles
Bidens cernua – nodding beggartick
Bidens connata – purplestem beggarticks
Bidens coronata – crowned beggarticks
Bidens discoidea – small beggarticks
Bidens frondosa – devil's beggartick
Bidens tripartita – threelobe beggarticks
Bidens vulgata – big devils beggartick
Dyssodia papposa – fetid marigold
Galium aparine L. – stickywilly
Galium asprellum – rough bedstraw
Galium boreale – northern bedstraw
Galium circaezans – licorice bedstraw
Galium concinnum – shining bedstraw
Galium obtusum – bluntleaf bedstraw
Galium pilosum – hairy bedstraw
Galium tinctorium – stiff marsh bedstraw
Galium trifidum – threepetal bedstraw
Galium triflorum – fragrant bedstraw
Stellaria longifolia – longleaf starwort

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Harvesters (Miletinae)

Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius)

Caterpillar hosts: Woolly aphids (Neoprociphilus, Pemphigus, Prociphilus, and Schizoneura) and sometimes scale insects or treehoppers; these insects suck sap from alders, witch hazel, ash, beech, hawthorn, and wild currant.

Species Detail | Butterflies and Moths of North America


Coppers (Lycaeninae)

Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)
Rumex altissimus – pale dock
Rumex orbiculatus – greater water dock
Rumex salicifolius – willow dock
Rumex verticillatus – swamp dock


Hairstreaks (Theclinae)

Henry's Elfin (Callophrys henrici) (Incisalia henrici)
Cercis canadensis var. canadensis – eastern redbud
Diospyros virginiana – common persimmon
Gaylussacia baccata – black huckleberry
Ilex verticillata – common winterberry
Lupinus perennis – sundial lupine
Prunus species - plum, cherry, sandcherry, chokecherry
Vaccinium angustifolium – lowbush blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum – highbush blueberry
Vaccinium macrocarpon – cranberry
Vaccinium pallidum – Blue Ridge blueberry
Vaccinium stamineum – deerberry
Viburnum acerifolium – mapleleaf viburnum
Viburnum dentatum – southern arrowwood
Viburnum lentago – nannyberry
Viburnum molle – softleaf arrowwood
Viburnum nudum – possumhaw
Viburnum opulus var. americanum (syn. Viburnum trilobum) – American cranberrybush
Viburnum prunifolium – blackhaw
Viburnum rafinesqueanum – downy arrowwood
Viburnum recognitum – southern arrowwood


Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)
Amelanchier arborea – common serviceberry
Amelanchier laevis – Allegheny serviceberry
Amelanchier sanguinea – roundleaf serviceberry
Amelanchier stolonifera – running serviceberry
Carpinus caroliniana – American hornbeam
Carya species - hickory
Castanea dentata – American chestnut
Crataegus species - hawthorn
Fraxinus species - ash
Hamamelis virginiana – American witchhazel
Malus coronaria – sweet crab apple
Malus ioensis var. ioensis – prairie crab apple
Photinia floribunda – purple chokeberry
Photinia melanocarpa – black chokeberry
Populus species - cottonwood, poplar, aspen
Prunus species - plum, cherry, sandcherry, chokecherry
Quercus species - oak
Rubus species - blackberry, dewberry, raspberry
Salix species - willow
Vaccinium angustifolium – lowbush blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum – highbush blueberry
Vaccinium macrocarpon – cranberry
Vaccinium pallidum – Blue Ridge blueberry
Vaccinium stamineum – deerberry


Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
Amorpha canescens – leadplant
Amorpha fruticosa – desert false indigo
Ceanothus americanus – New Jersey tea
Ceanothus herbaceus – Jersey tea
Chamaecrista fasciculata – partridge pea
Chamaecrista – sensitive partridge pea
Comptonia peregrina – sweet fern
Crataegus species - hawthorn
Desmodium species (see Silver-spotted Skipper)
Hibiscus laevis – halberdleaf rosemallow
Hibiscus moscheutos – crimsoneyed rosemallow
Humulus lupulus var. lupuloides – common hop
Humulus lupulus var. pubescens – common hop
Lespedeza capitata – roundhead lespedeza
Lespedeza frutescens – shrubby lespedeza
Lespedeza hirta – hairy lespedeza
Lespedeza procumbens – trailing lespedeza
Lespedeza repens – creeping lespedeza
Lespedeza violacea – violet lespedeza
Lespedeza virginica – slender lespedeza
Lupinus perennis – sundial lupine
Malus coronaria – sweet crab apple
Malus ioensis var. ioensis – prairie crab apple
Mentha arvensis – wild mint
Polygonum buxiforme – box knotweed
Polygonum erectum – erect knotweed
Polygonum lapathifolium – curlytop knotweed
Polygonum pensylvanicum – Pennsylvania smartweed
Polygonum punctatum Elliot – dotted smartweed
Polygonum ramosissimum – bushy knotweed
Polygonum sagittatum – arrowleaf tearthumb
Polygonum scandens – climbing false buckwheat
Polygonum tenue – pleatleaf knotweed
Polygonum virginianum – jumpseed
Tephrosia virginiana – Virginia tephrosia
Trifolium reflexum – buffalo clover

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We're a little over half way through the butterfly list.

Lots and lots of choices! The list looks long, but many of the plants will serve more than one species of butterfly. It can be a lot of fun picking and choosing which ones will be going in the butterfly garden.

One of things I enjoy about going through this kind of exercise is becoming aware of all the neat plants out there. Plants I've never heard of. Plants for every kind of situation.

And of course, knowing that the butterflies are going to benefit from the effort has it's own reward. Part of which will be seeing a lot more butterflies!