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

Monarch Caterpillar host plant What Do Monarch Caterpillars Eat to Become a Butterfly?

• 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

Black Swallowtail Butterfly Black Swallowtail host plant

Caterpillar: parsley, dill, fennel, rue Butterfly: Aster, Buddleia, Joe Pye Weed, Alfalfa, Privet, Purple Coneflower, Wild Bergamot, Zinnia

Pipevine Swallowtail

Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar host plant Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly

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