Hobbies And Interests
Host Plants
Butterflies lay their eggs on the stems and leaves of plants; however, they are extremely picky about the plants they choose because caterpillars are picky about what they eat. Once the egg hatches, the caterpillar's primary job is to eat; therefore, the female butterfly must lay her egg on a host plant that the caterpillar can consume.Different types of butterflies lay their eggs on different types of plants.
Swallowtails
Swallowtails are butterflies within the Papilionidae family. Swallowtails are identified by extensions from the base of their wings. You can help the swallowtail population by planting plants like alfalfa, dill parsley and fennel in your yard. Swallowtail's use these plants as hosts on which to lay their eggs.
Brush-Footed Butterflies
Brush-footed butterflies encompass one of the largest butterfly families. There are many different brush-footed species. Common names include checkerspots, ladies, fritillaries, crescents, tortoise shells and commas. The common feature that identifies these butterflies is an orange coloring on the wings. Butterflies within the brush-footed family lay their eggs on many different plants, including sunflowers, which is the host plant for the checkerspot.
Skippers
Skippers are within the Hesperiidae family. They are characterized by their brown color, large eyes and small size. They are called skippers because of the way they skip from flower to flower. When resting, most skippers hold their wings in a closed position. However, the spreadwing skipper is the exception to this rule, as they leave their wings open when resting. Common skippers include skipperlings, cloudywings, sootywings, duskywings, flashers, longtails and flats. Wild licorice is one of the many host plants on which skippers will lay their eggs.
Whites and Sulphurs
White and sulphur butterflies are also known as Pieridae. They are the easiest to identify, as they are typically white or yellow in color. Types of white and sulphurs include marbles, orangetips, yellows and dogfaces. The most widespread butterfly in this family is the cabbage white, which is the one most common butterflies seen in and around the garden. Cabbage whites lay their eggs on plants within the cabbage and mustard family.
Gossamer Wings
Gossamer Wings are also referred to as Lycaenidae. Most species in this family look very much alike, making them some of the most difficult butterflies to specifically identify. Members of this family include blues, hairstreaks, coppers and elfins. Hairstreaks specifically lay their eggs on plants like rose and hollyhock.
Metalmarks
Metalmarks are within the Riodinidae family. They are mostly found in the Southwestern United States. These small brown butterflies are occasionally classified within the same family as Gossamer Wing butterflies. Butterflies in this family include the little and northern metalmark. Yellow thistle and roundleaf ragwort serve as their host plants.