Butterflies

Below is a list of butterflies found in the Bristow Butterfly Garden, with information about their host and nectar plants.
ButterflyButterflies marked with this icon can also be found in the Butterfly House

Brush-footed butterflies

American Lady

Butterfly

American Lady - photograph by Glenn Burch
Host Plants Pearly everlasting, Plaintain-leaved pussy toes, wormwood, ironweed and burdock
Nectar Plants Aster, dogbane, goldenrod, marigold, selfheal, milkweed and vetch

Buckeye

Butterfly
Buckeye butterfly
Host Plants Snapdragon, toadflax, plantains and ruellia
Nectar Plants Aster, chickory, gumweed, knapweed, tickseed, sunflower, dogbane and peppermint

Gulf Fritillary

Butterfly
Gulf Fritillary - photography by Pat Hacker
Host Plants Passion-vine, maypops and running pop
Nectar Plants Lantana, shepherd’s needle, cordias and composites

Monarch

Butterfly
Monarch on butterfly weed - photograph by Kemp Savage
Host Plants Milkweeds
Nectar Plants Milkweeds, dogbane, lilac, red clover, lantana, goldenrod, blazing star, ironweed, tickseed, sunflower and thistles

Painted Lady

Butterfly
Painted Lady - photograph by Pat Hacker Host Plants Thistles, hollyhock, mallow and various legumes
Nectar Plants Thistles, aster, cosmos,  blazing star, ironweed, Joe-pye weed, red clover, buttonbush, privet and milkweed
Pearly Crescent
Pearl Crescent - photo by Pat Hacker Host Plants Aster
Nectar Plants Thistles and aster

Question Mark

Butterfly

Question Mark
Host Plants American elm, red elm, hackberry, Japanese hop, nettles and false nettles
Nectar Plants Rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, carrion, milkweed, aster and sweet pepperbush

Red Admiral

Butterfly
Red Admiral - photo by Pat Hacker
Host Plants Plants in the nettle family
Nectar Plants Sap flows on trees, fermenting fruit, bird droppings, milkweed, red clover, aster and alfalfa

Red Spotted Purple

Butterfly
Host Plants Wild cherry, aspen, poplar, cottonwood, oaks, hawthorn, deerberry, birch, willows, basswood and shadbush
Nectar Plants Sap flows, rotting fruit, carrion, dung, spiraea, privet and viburnum

Variegated Fritillary

Butterfly
Variegated Fritillary
Host Plants Maypops, May apple, violets, purslane, stonecrop and moonseed.
Nectar Plants Butteflyweed, common milkweed, dogbane, peppermint, red clover, swamp milkweed and tickseed
Viceroy
Viceroy - photo by Pat Hacker Host Plants Willows, poplars, aspen, fruit trees
Nectar Plants Many wildflower species and tree blooms




  Swallowtails

Black Swallowtail

Butterfly

Host Plants Parsley, Queen Anne’s lace, carrot, parsnip, celery and dill. Sometimes citrus family plants
Nectar Plants A variety of flowers including red clover, milkweed and thistles

Giant Swallowtail

Butterfly

Giant Swallowtail
Host Plants Plants in the citrus family, prickly ash, hop tree and common rue
Nectar Plants Lantana, azalea, bougainvilla, bouncing bet, dame’s rocket, goldenrod, Japanese honeysuckle and swamp milkweed

Palamedes Swallowtail

Butterfly
Palamedes Swallowtail - photo by Pat Hacker Host Plants Plants of the laurel family
Nectar Plants Sweet pepperbush, thistles, blue flag and azaleas

Pipevine Swallowtail

Butterfly
Pipevine Swallowtail Host Plants Pipevine
Nectar Plants Thistles, bergamot, lilac,  viper’s bugloss, common azalea, phlox, teasel, dame’s rocket, lantana, petunia, verbena and lupines

Spicebush Swallowtail

Butterfly
Spicebush Swallowtail - photo by Glenn Burch Host Plants Spicebush, sassafras, prickly ash, tulip tree, sweetbay, camphor and redbay
Nectar Plants Japanese honeysuckle, jewelweed, thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, lantana, mimosa and sweet pepperbush

Tiger Swallowtail

Butterfly

Host Plants Wild cherry, sweetbay, basswood, tulip tree, birch, ash, cottonwood, mountain ash and willow
Nectar Plants A variety of plants including wild cherry and lilac

Zebra Swallowtail

Butterfly
Zebra Swallowtail - photo by Glenn Burch Host Plants Pawpaw
Nectar Plants Blueberry, blackberry, lilac, redbud, viper’s bugloss, verbena, dogbane and milkweed
 
   
Sulphurs
Clouded Sulphur
Clouded Sulphur feeds on Tithonia - photograph by Pat Hacker
Host Plants Legumes such as clover, alfalfa and vetch
Nectar Plants Dandelion, goldenrod, clover, tickseed, phlox, mildweed and dogbane
Cloudless Sulphur

Host Plants Legumes, clover, wild peas
Nectar Plants Milkweed, firebush, lantana, cardinal flower and morning glory
Sleepy Orange
Sleepy Orange
Host Plants Clovers, legumes
Nectar Plants Blue porterweed, tickseed
Skippers
Fiery Skipper
Fiery Skipper
Host Plants Various grasses
Nectar Plants unknown
Checkered Skipper
Checkered Skipper - photo by Glenn Burch
Host Plants Various weeds and mallows
Nectar Plants unknown
Horace's Duskywing
Horace's Dusky Wing - photo by Pat Hacker
Host Plants Various oaks
Nectar Plants unknown
Silver-spotted Skipper
Silver Spotted Skipper - photo by Pat Hacker
Host Plants Wisteria, beans and locust
Nectar Plants A variety of wild and domestic flowers