Caterpillar / Butterfly Host Plants
Caterpillar host plants are the most direct answer to the question What Do Caterpillars Eat? The information on the most popular butterfly & caterpillar types.
Monarch
- Caterpillar: Milkweeds (Asclepias)
- Butterfly: Milkweeds + Dogbane, Buddleia
American Painted Lady
- Caterpillar: Thistle, Daisy, Mallow/Hollyhock, Burdock, Sunflower, Wormwood
- Butterfly: Aster, Zinnia
Cabbage White
- Caterpillar: Broccoli, Cabbage family, Mustard, Nasturtium
- Butterfly: Broccoli, Cabbage family, Mustard, Nasturtium
Common Buckeye
- Caterpillar: Snapdragon, Loosestrife
- Butterfly: Carpetweed, Snapdragon, Globe Amaranth, Heliotrope, Mist Flower, White Clover, Sedum, Monkeyflower, Plantain, Verbena
Black Swallowtail
- Caterpillar: parsley, dill, fennel, rue
- Butterfly: Aster, Buddleia, Joe Pye Weed, Alfalfa, Privet, Purple Coneflower, Wild Bergamot, Zinnia
Pipevine Swallowtail
- Caterpillar: Pipevine family (Dutchman’s Pipe, Virginia snakeroot)
- Butterfly: Buddleia
Eastern Tailed Blue
- Caterpillar: Clover, legume-type plants (Bush Clover, Peas), Vetch
- Butterfly: daisy, dandelion, dogbane, clovers, milkweeds
Zebra Swallowtail
- Caterpillar: pawpaw
- Butterfly: asters, milkweed, daisy, zinnia, red clover, cosmos, lantana, pentas