In order for butterfly populations to survive, their young (the caterpillars)
must have plants to eat. Unlike moth caterpillars, the caterpillars of most
butterfly species are found at low enough densities that they do not totally
defoliate their host plant. (*Non-native host plants are indicated by an
asterisk.)
| Caterpillar Host Plants |
Butterfly |
| Asters |
Pearl Crescent |
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
(other Prunus also used) |
Coral Hairstreak (on Wild Plum)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Red-spotted Purple
Striped Hairstreak (on Wild Plum) |
Carrot Family including Queen Anne�s Lace* and many herb
garden plants,
e.g., Parsley*, Fennel*, and Dill* |
Black Swallowtail
caterpillars cause heavy defoliation |
| Common Lilac* |
Tiger Swallowtail |
| Curled Dock* (Rumex crispus) |
American Copper |
| Dogwood (Comus spp.) |
Spring Azure, Common Blue |
Eastern Red-cedar (Juniperus
virginiana)
(usually stands, not single trees) |
Juniper (Olive) Hairstreak |
Everlastings (including Anaphilis
margaritacea, Antennaria
plantaginifolia)
and other Composites |
American Lady |
| New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus
americanus) |
Spring Azure, Common Blue |
Lamb�s-quarters* (Chenopodium album)
(generally regarded as a weed) |
Common Sootywing |
| Lupine* (Lupinus) (the
only Connecticut native Lupine is Wild Lupine [Lupinus
perennis]) |
Eastern Tailed Blue |
| Milkweeds (Asclepias
spp.) |
Monarch |
Nettles (Urtica spp.
[some native, some not]),
e.g., False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica)
e.g., Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis) |
Eastern Comma
Question Mark
Red Admiral |
| Oaks (Quercus spp.) |
Banded Hairstreak
Edward�s Hairstreak
Juvenal�s Duskywing
Red Spotted Purple |
Pea Family including many non-native species, such as
Clovers*, Sweet-clovers*
and Alfalfa* |
Clouded Sulphur
Eastern Tailed Blue
Orange Sulphur
Silver-spotted Skipper |
Purpletop (=Tall Redtop; Tridens
flavens) (an often-planted native bunchgrass
considered to be an aggressive weed by some
sources) |
Common Wood Nymph
also Crossline Skipper
Little Glassywing
Zabulon Skipper
(Note: the Skippers are not strongly showy) |
| Sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) |
Spicebush Swallowtail |
| Sheep-sorrel* (Rumex acetosella)
(generally regarded as a weed) |
American Copper |
| Snapdragon* (Antirrhinum majus) |
Common Buckeye |
| Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) |
Spicebush Swallowtail |
| Tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) |
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail |
| Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) |
Baltimore Checkerspot |
| Viburnum (Viburnum spp.) |
Spring Azure, Common Blue |
| Violets (Viola spp. �
most are native) |
Fritillaries |
| Willows (Salix spp.,
scrubby ones; some*) |
Viceroy
Mourning Cloak |
Wild False Foxgloves Baltimore
Aureolaria (formerly
Gerardia)
flava
Aureolaria (formerly
Gerardia)
pedicularia
Aureolaria (formerly
Gerardia)
virginica
|
Checkerspot |
