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Butterfly & Larval Host Plants

Certain species of butterflies will lay their eggs only on certain species of plants. When the eggs hatch, the larvae (caterpillars) eat the leaves of the plant until it is time for them to move on to the pupae stage. The plants on which they are hatched and feed are referred to as the butterfly species' "host plants." Some butterflies, such as the painted lady, have hundreds of host plants, while others, such as the endangered Karner blue, will lay their eggs on only one.

Willow
- Trees in the willow (Salix) family attract a variety of butterflies. If you live in an area where these butterflies are native, planting black willow (S. nigra), silky willow (S. sericea), and weeping willow (S. babylonica) will bring mourning cloaks (Nymphalis antiopa), viceroys (Limenitis archippus), Weidemeyer's admirals (Limenitis weidemeyerii) and red-spotted purples (Limenitis arthemis). Western tiger swallowtails (Papilio rutulus) and eastern tiger swallowtails (Papilio glaucus) also lay eggs on willows.
Alfalfa
- The alfalfa butterfly (Colias eurytheme) is so named because of its favorite host plant, alfalfa (Medicago sativa). However, Alfalfa also attracts other butterflies, namely the clouded sulfur (Colias philodice), orange sulfur (Colias eurytheme), and the melissa blue (Lycaeides melissa).
Hollyhock
- Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) will attract three very different species of lepidoptera (butterflies and moths): checkered skippers (Pyrgus communis), common hairstreaks (Strymon melinus), and painted ladies (Vanessa cardui).
Karner Blues and Lupine
- The Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) is a federally listed endangered species in much of its territory of Wisconsin, as well as portions of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and New Hampshire. The main reason for its rarity is that it will lay its eggs only on lupine (Lupinus perennis). Among conservation plans for the Karner blue are measures that protect pine and oak barrens which support wild lupine.
Milkweed and Monarchs
- The caterpillar of the monarch (Danaus plexippus) feeds exclusively on plants in the milkweed family (Asclepias.) This plant is considered a "weed" to humans, and is rarely cultivated in yards and gardens. Unfortunately, human development has largely decimated the wild milkweed growth. Monarchs need milkweed along the entire 3,000 mile route of its migration, from from Central Mexico to Central Canada.
Atala Hairstreaks and Coontie
- The atala hairstreak (Eumaeus atala) is found only in southeastern Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. This butterfly has only one host plant: Coontie (Zamia pumila). When this plant was harvested en masse for food in the1800s, the butterfly nearly went extinct. Its population rebounded when the starch factories closed and Coontie became popular as a yard plant.

Insects & Science