Miami Blue: Butterfly Plants

Miami Blue Chapter
North American Butterfly Association (NABA)

Butterfly Attracting Plants of South Florida

The following is a preliminary* compilation of plants that serve as either a larval host or nectar source for South Florida's butterflies.

You will notice as you study the following list of butterfly attracting plants that many butterflies are bound to one larval (caterpillar) host plant. Therefore, it can be helpful to learn to identify as many of these plants and the caterpillars that feed on them as possible. In many cases, knowing a butterflys larval host plant can aid greatly in its identification.

On the other hand, most adult butterflies have many nectar source plants, with some species utilizing dung, sap, decaying leaves, carrion, fermenting fruit or aphid honeydew.

Compiled by David L. Lysinger, January 8, 2004.
With additional notes by Roger L. Hammer, March 14, 2004.

	Larval host	Nectar source
SWALLOWTAILS
Pipevine Swallowtail	Pipevines and knotweeds	a variety of flowers including thistle and lantana
Polydamas Swallowtail	Pipevines	a variety of flowers including lantana
Zebra Swallowtail	Paw-paws	moisture from sand and nectar from various flowers
Black Swallowtail	Carrots, parsley, fennel, Queen Anne's lace, dill and celery	a variety of flowers including milkweed and thistle
Spicebush Swallowtail	Spicebush, red bay and sweet bay	a variety of flowers including thistle, milkweed and lantana
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	Willow, sweet bay and ash	a variety of flowers
Giant Swallowtail	Wild lime, yellowwood, Hercules club, citrus, Biscayne prickly ash and torchwood	nectar from lantana, Bougainvillea, goldenrod and milkweed
Schaus' Swallowtail	Wild lime and torchwood	a variety of flowers including wild coffee and guava
Bahamian Swallowtail	Citrus, wild lime, and torchwood	unknown
Palamedes Swallowtail	Plants of the laurel family and red bay	a variety of flowers including thistle

	Larval host	Nectar source
WHITES, YELLOWS and SULPHURS
Great Southern White	Saltwort and peppergrass	a variety of flowers including saltwort, lantana and other verbena family members
Florida White Milkbark	Guiana plum and limber caper	a variety of flowers including lantana
Checkered White	Plants in the mustard family	nectar from the composite and mustard families
Cabbage White	Many plants in the mustard family	nectar from many plants including the mustard and caper families
Orange Sulphur	Plants in the pea family including alfalfa, white clover and white sweet clover	many flowers including milkweed, goldenrod and aster
Southern Dogface	Small-leaved plants in the pea family including alfalfa and leadplant; clovers and indigo	flowers including alfalfa, coreopsis, houstonia and verbena
Dainty Sulphur	Spanish needles	flowers from flowering plants, including aster, wild marigold and others
Little Yellow	Partridge pea and wild sensitive plant	flowers in the aster family including goldenrod
Mimosa Yellow	Sensitive plant, in the pea family; wild tamarind	various flowers
Dina Yellow	Mexican alvaradoa and bitterbush	nectar from various flowers including lantana
Sleepy Orange	Senna species	nectar from flowers including Spanish needles
Barred Yellow	Many plants in the pea family	a great variety of flowers including Spanish needles and joint vetches
Cloudless Sulphur	Bahama senna and privet senna	many flowers including cordia, bougainvillea, hibiscus, lantana and morning glory
Orange-barred Sulphur	Bahama senna, and privet senna	many flowers
Large Orange Sulphur	Blackbead, cat's claw, and wild tamarind	flowers including lantana, Spanish needles, bougainvillea, and hibiscus
Statira Sulphur	In Florida, Dalbergia and Calliandra both in the pea family	red-flowering plants including firebush
Lyside Sulphur	Lignumvitae	nectar from black mangrove and Spanish needles
Yellow Angled-Sulphur	Senna species	red and purple flowers including hibiscus and bougainvillea
Boisduval's Yellow	Senna species	a variety of flowers

	Larval host	Nectar source
HAIRSTREAKS
Great Purple Hairstreak	Mistletoe	flowers including goldenrod, Hercules club and Spanish needles
Atala	Coontie as well as other members of the cycad family	flowers including lantana, periwinkle, Spanish needles and wild coffee
White M Hairstreak	Live oak and other oak species	a variety of flowers including sumac, poinsettia, milkweed, lantana and goldenrod
Silver-banded Hairstreak	Young seeds of balloon vine	flowers of balloon vine
Amethyst Hairstreak	Albizia lebbeck	a variety of flowers including ape's earring, Brazilian pepper, Guarmachil and Spanish needles
Banded Hairstreak	Many species of oak	many flowers including milkweed (preferred)
Southern Hairstreak	Many species of oak	a variety of flowers
Red-banded Hairstreak	Dead leaves from various trees and shrubs	a variety of flowers including tickseed sunflower and milkweed
Fulvous Hairstreak	Brazilian pepper	flowers of Brazilian pepper, Spanish needles and sea grape
Gray Hairstreak	Flowers and fruit from an almost endless variety of plants; most often lead tree	many flowers including milkweed, mint and goldenrod
Martial Scrub-Hairstreak	Florida trema and bay cedar	flowers including bay cedar, lantana, Brazilian pepper and Spanish needles
Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak	Pineland croton	flowers of pineland croton and Spanish needles
Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak	Plants in the mallow family; also bay cedar	many small-flowered plants

	Larval host	Nectar source
BLUES
Eastern Pygmy-Blue	Annual glassworts and saltwort in the amaranth family	flowers of palmetto palm and saltwort
Cassius Blue	Plumbago, rattlebox, hairy milk pea and lima beans	flowers of Spanish needles and creeping charlie
Ceraunus Blue	A variety of legumes including partridge pea and wild tamarind	flower nectar
Miami Blue	Balloon vine and nickerbean	flower nectar including Spanish needles
Nickerbean Blue	Pineland acacia, sweet acacia and caesalpinia	flower nectar including that of pineland croton, Spanish needles and pineland acacia

	Larval host	Nectar source
METALMARKS
Little Metalmark	Yellow thistle	short flowered composites

	Larval host	Nectar source
BRUSH FOOTED BUTTERFLIES
American Snout	Hackberry	flowers including goldenrod and asters
Gulf Fritillary	Various passionflower vines	flowers including Spanish needles, cordias and composites
Julia	Various passionflower vines	flowers including lantana and Spanish needles
Zebra Heliconian	Various passionflower vines	nectar and pollen from flowers including Spanish needles and lantana
Variegated Fritillary	A variety of plants including passionflower, violets, purslane, stonecrop and moonseed	flowers of many plants including common milkweed, dogbane, and tickseed sunflower
Phaon Crescent	Creeping Charlie and mat grass in the verbena family	nectar from flowers of creeping Charlie and Spanish needles
Pearl Crescent	Several species of aster	nectar from a great variety of flowering plants including swamp milkweed, Spanish needles and asters
Cuban Crescent	Shrimp plant and crimson dicliptera	nectar from flowers, mostly Spanish needles
Red Admiral	Many plants of the nettle family	red admirals prefer sap flows on trees, fermenting fruit and bird droppings
American Lady	Plants in the sunflower family	nectar from flowers including aster, goldenrod and common milkweed
Painted Lady	More than 100 host plants have been noted; favorites include thistle, mallow and various legumes	prefers nectar from composites 3-6 feet high, especially thistle; also aster and blazing star
Hackberry Emperor	Various hackberries and sugarberry	sap, rotting fruit, dung and carrion
Tawny Emperor	Various hackberries and sugarberry	sap, rotting fruit, dung and carrion
White Peacock	Smooth water-hyssop and creeping Charlie	Spanish needles
Viceroy	Plants in the willow family	early in the season when few flowers are available Viceroys feed on aphid honeydew, carrion, dung and decaying fungi. Later generations feed more often at flowers, including aster, goldenrod and Spanish needles
Common Buckeye	Plants from the snapdragon, verbern, plantain and acanthus families	nectar from flowers including aster and tickseed sunflower
Mangrove Buckeye	Black mangrove	flower nectar
Tropical Buckeye	Stemodia, creeping charlie, ruella and porterweed	flower nectar
Malachite	Green shrimp plant	rotting fruit, bird droppings and nectar from flowers
Florida Purplewing	Crabwood	decaying fruit and nectar from cordia and lantana
Dingy Purplewing	Gumbo-limbo	rotting fruit, dung and sap; seldom flower nectar
Florida Leafwing	Pineland croton	rotting fruit and dung
Ruddy Daggerwing	Short-leaf fig and strangler fig	nectars at flowers of giant milkweed

	Larval host	Nectar source
SATYRS
Carolina Satyr	Several grasses including centipede and St. Augustine	sap and rotting fruit
Georgia Satyr	Sedges and grasses	rotting fruit

	Larval host	Nectar source
MILKWEED BUTTERFLIES
Monarch	Milkweeds	nectar from all milkweed flowers as well as thistle
Queen	Milkweeds	flower nectar
Soldier	Milkweeds	nectar from flowers including milkweeds and Spanish needles

	Larval host	Nectar source
SKIPPERS
Mangrove Skipper	Red mangrove	nectar from flowers including mangrove, Spanish needles, citrus and bougainvillea
Hammock Skipper	Jamaica dogwood and pongam	flower nectar
Zestos Skipper	Galactia, in the pea family	nectar from flowers including Spanish needles, lantana and bougainvillea
Silver-spotted Skipper	Woody legumes	The Silver-spotted Skipper almost never visits yellow flowers but favors blue, red, purple and pink.
Long-tailed Skipper	Various legumes including various beans, hog peanuts, beggar ticks, blue pea and wisteria	nectar from flowers including bougainvillea, lantana and Spanish needles
Dorantes Longtail	Various legumes including wild and cultivated beans and beggar ticks	nectar from flowers including Spanish needles, lantana and bougainvillea
Northern Cloudywing	Various plants in the pea family including beggar ticks and clovers	nectar from blue, purple, pink or white flowers
Juvenal's Duskywing	Oaks	nectar from flowers including dandelion and blueberry
Horace's Duskywing	Various oaks	nectar from flowers, up to 4.5 feet tall including dogbane, goldenrod and peppermint
Florida Duskywing	Locust-berry and Barbados cherry	nectar from flowers of low plants and shrubs including Spanish needles, pineland croton and lantana
Sleepy Duskywing	Various oaks	nectar from heaths including wild azalea and blueberry
Zarucco Duskywing	Herbaceous legumes including black locust, hairy bush clover and Colorado River hemp	nectar from flowers including Spanish needles
Tropical Checkered-Skipper	Several plants in the mallow family including broomweed, mallow, hollyhock and velvet-leaf	nectar from flowers of Sidas and Spanish needles
Hayhurst's Scallopwing	Bloodleaf and occasionally chaff flowers	nectar from flowers including marigold, knotweed, spearmint, cucumber and clovers
Swarthy Skipper	Bluestem grasses	nectar from low-growing flowers, including selfheal, red clover and peppermint
Neamathla Skipper	Bluestem grasses	flower nectar
Three-spotted Skipper	Guinea grass	flower nectar
Euphala Skipper	Various grasses including Johnson grass, Bermuda and sugarcane	nectar from flowers including alfalfa, croton, and creeping charlie
Southern Skipperling	Bermuda grass	nectar from flowers such as sneezeweed
Least Skipper	Various grasses including marsh millet and cultivated rice	nectar from low growing flowering plants including wood sorrel, swamp verbena, pickerelweed, Spanish needles lantata and white clover
Fiery Skipper	Various grasses including Bermuda, crabgrass and St. Augustine	nectar from flowers including sweet pepperbush, swamp milkweed, aster and thistle
Whirlabout	Grasses including Bermuda and St. Augustine	nectar from Spanish needles and lantana
Sachem	Grasses including Bermuda, crabgrass and St. Augustine	nectar from many flowers including milkweeds, button bush and thistles
Dotted Skipper	Switchgrass	nectar from flower of prickly pear cactus, alfalfa, and thistle
Tawny-edged Skipper	Panic grasses, crabgrass and blue grass	nectar from flowers including alfalfa, dogbane and thistle
Baracoa Skipper	Grasses	flower nectar
Southern Broken-Dash	Paspalum and St. Augustine grass	nectar from flowers including pickerelweed and sweet pepper bush
Dun Skipper	Various sedges	nectar from white pink or purple flowers
Delaware Skipper	Various grasses	nectar from pink and white flowers including milkweeds, marsh fleabane, thistles and pickerelweed
Arogos Skipper	Big bluestem and other native grasses	nectar from flowers including ox-eye daisy, coreopsis and dogbane
Byssus Skipper	Eastern gama grass	nectar from flowers including pickerelweed
Meske's Skipper	Little blue stem and arrowfeather threeawn	nectar from blazing star, pickerelweed and others
Dusted Skipper	Little bluestem and big bluestem	nectar from flowers including wild strawberry, blackberry and wild hyacinth
Twin-spot Skipper	Grasses	nectar from flowers including thistle
Clouded Skipper	Various grasses including St. Augustine and wooly beard grass	nectar from pink purple and white flowers including Spanish needles, buttonbush and lantana
Aaron's Skipper	Possibly smooth cordgrass	nectar from flowers including pickerelweed and marsh fleabane
Palatka Skipper	Sawgrass	nectar from pickerelweed and other plants
Palmetto Skipper	Saw palmetto	nectar from pickerelweed
Berry's Skipper	Sedges	nectar from pickerelweed
Dusky Roadside-Skipper	Grasses	flower nectar
Ocola Skipper	Rice, sugarcane and trompelilla	nectar from flowers including lantana, Spanish needles, buttonbush and pickerelweed
Salt Marsh Skipper	Seashore saltgrass	nectar from flowers including privet, marsh fleabane, thistle and verbena
Obscure Skipper	Various grasses and sugarcane	nectar from rattlebox
Cofaqui Giant-Skipper	Bear grass, Spanish bayonet and small yucca	adults do not feed, but males sip moisture from mud
Yucca Giant-Skipper	Bear grass, Spanish bayonet and small yucca	adults do not feed, but males sip moisture from mud
Monk Skipper	Various palms including saw palmetto, date and coconut	nectar from hibiscus and other large flowers
Brazilian Skipper	Cannas and alligator flag	nectar from large white and pale yellow flowers

* Preliminary lists are works in progress. If you have additions or corrections, please notify the compiler at MiamiBlue@bellsouth.net or write to Miami Blue Chapter, P.O. Box 141667, Coral Gables, FL 33114.