Articles

• Raising Butterflies Indoors
• Attract Butterflies
• Butterfly Garden
• Life Cycle of a Butterfly
• What Do Caterpillars Eat - Host Plants
• What Do Butterflies Eat - Nectar Plants


• More Articles!

Free Photos

Butterfly Videos

Butterfly Gifts

Live Butterfly Garden

Great Customer Reviews!

What Do Caterpillars Eat? Host Plants

Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar on Camphor Tree

The plants that caterpillars eat are called host plants while the plants that adult butterflies eat (actually they "drink") are called nectar plants. Each species of butterflies has specific host plants on which the adult butterflies lay their eggs. The butterflies are particular about the plant they lay eggs on because their caterpillars must have that specific host plant to survive. The caterpillar will not eat if it does not have access to its specific host plants and thus it will die.

Some caterpillars are so picky about what they eat that there is only one plant type that will support them. Many caterpillars will eat from a few plant types. Listed below are several popular butterfly species and their host plants.

Also of interest is that you may find that in one region of the country the butterfly caterpillars may prefer to eat one variety of their host plant and in another area they may prefer a second type of plant within their group of host plants. I've read that this can even vary from garden to garden and may be due to changes in soil types, pH, etc. So, be sure to try a different plant before giving up if one of your plants is not attracting egg-laying butterflies.

If you are raising caterpillars indoors and you happen to run out of caterpillar food, you will probably be successful in changing their food source as long as it is in their group of host plants. Many caterpillars will easily eat from several food plants within their normal host plant range. For example, I have had success with switching between fennel, parsley, dill or rue for a Black Swallowtail caterpillar. I have also had success in raising a Monarch caterpillar while switching out different milkweed varieties. Hopefully the table below will help you find something for your caterpillar to eat if you happen to run out of food.

Great Customer Reviews!

For an excellent book that will help with choosing what caterpillar food plants to grow in your area, check out The Family Butterfly Book by Rick Mikula. It has a section about best butterflies, host plants and nectar plants broken down by regions of the US including Hawaii, Alaska and parts of Canada. It is well illustrated with a lot of good information about raising butterflies. I own this book plus a book that is specific to my region (Butterflies of the East Coast by Rick Cech and Guy Tudor) which is very good as well.

The Family Butterfly Book is easy to read with alot of practical advice for raising butterflies while the Butterflies of the East Coast book is a bit more scientific but is a great reference book for East Coast butterflies as well as having alot of general butterfly information.

Here is a list of some common and/or popular backyard garden butterfies and the food their caterpillars eat. These caterpillar host plants (as well as nectar plants) can be found at various nurseries online and some can be found in local nurseries. Click on the linked plants below for pictures, information and sources. I will continue to add quality nurseries and any coupon codes I can find. You can use the promotional codes (if needed) at checkout to get the savings if you decide to order from any of these places.

$10 off orders over $50 with code JDC12, thru 1/31	Free Catalog	Free Catalog

Monarch butterflies and Black Swallowtail butterflies (Anise butterflies in the West) are popular, easy, and beautiful caterpillars/butterflies to raise indoors. They are found throughout most of the US and beyond. If you are new to raising butterflies then you may want to start by planting what these caterpillars eat. Parsley (curly or flat leaf) and common rue are my personal favorites for Black Swallowtail caterpillars and Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is my current favorite for the Monarch caterpillars.

These plants are attractive and well behaved in a garden setting and the Milkweed has the added advantage of being a popular nectar plant as well. Parsley can be found in most local garden centers (but ask around about pesticides that may have been used on the plants - it will kill the caterpillars). Common rue is a perennial and will start easily from seeds or cuttings. Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) starts easily from seed and is a quick growing annual. You can harvest the seed in the Fall to start your new plants next Spring. Adding some additional nectar plants will greatly help in attracting butterflies to your yard.