Larval Food-plants and Nectar Flowers

Butterfly caterpillars feed on the leaves or quality of gardens as a resource for Cay• sometimes flower-parts of green plants man can be greatly enhanced and the adult visit flowers for nec• by the inclusion of native larval food• tar, and in a few instances pollen. Whilst plants, and we urge gardeners to consider most butterflies are not very particular growing some of those listed in the table. about their sources of nectar, taking it We have marked with an asterisk those where and when available, their selection that we especially recommend. Butterflies of plant species on which to lay their eggs are an adornment to any garden and the is specialized. Most species of ex• damage to plants caused by feeding cater• ploit a very limited range of related larval pillars ('worms') is a small price to pay for food-plants, and the larvae of only a few the pleasure that a garden full of butter• have a diet which extends beyond a single flies brings. By including larval food-plants plant family. in a garden landscape, and avoiding the In this section we tabulate the larval application of insecticides wherever pos• food-plants and nectar sources of Cayman sible, a valuable contribution to butterfly butterflies. With respect to nectar flowers, conservation will be made. only those which have been seen to be Food-plants [f] and nectar flowers [n] of visited in the Cayman Islands are listed. Cayman butterflies are arranged by their Our knowledge of larval food-plants in scientific names in families, both in alpha• the Cayman Islands is, however, rather betic order. Cayman common names for limited, and we include in our list plants the plants are given, and also whether that have been recorded as larval food they are native or naturalized [N] in the elsewhere if they are native or introduced Cayman Islands, or a cultivated horticul• to the Cayman Islands. tural introduction [C]. Instances where a Parks and gardens are a very valuable known food-plant of a Cayman butterfly habitat for many species of butterflies, is present in the islands, but its exploita• and are likely to become increasingly tion is unconfirmed, are indicated by pa• important as more and more native veg• rentheses [(f)]. etation is sacrificed to development. The

Acanthaceae Asystasia gangetica Bermuda Primrose N n Danaus plexippus n Phoebis sennae n Battus polydamas Blechum pyramidatum Blechum N (f) genoveva (= brownei) (f) Anartia jatrophae f? Siproeta stelenes

148 tuberosa Duppy Gun, Heart BushN (f) Junonia genoveva (f) Siproeta stelenes Aizoaceae Sesuvium portulacastrum Sea-pusley N n Brephidium exilis n Cyclargus ammon Amaranthaceae Blutaparon vermiculare Silverhead N n Brephidium exilis n Hemiargus hanno

Anacardiaceae Schinus terebinthifolius Brazilian Pepper c (f) Electrostrymon angelia Apocynaceae *Asclepias curassavica Red Top N f,n Danaus plexippus f,n Danaus gilippus f,n Danaus eresimus n Dryas iulia n Heraclides andraemon *Calotropis gigantea Giant Milkweed c f,n Danaus plexippus f Danaus gilippus Calotropis procera French Cotton N,Cf,n Danaus plexippus f Danaus gilippus Metastelma palustre Gulf Coast Swallowwort N (f) Danaus gilippus (f) Danaus eresimus Sarcostemma clausum White Twinevine N f? Danaus gilippus (f) Danaus eresimus Arecaceae (Palmae) Chrysalidocarpus lutescens Areca Palm c (f) Asbolis capucinus Coccothrinax proctorii Silver Thatch Palm N (f) Asbolis capucinus Cocos nucifera Coconut Palm N (f) Asbolis capucinus Phoenix dactyli/era Date Palm c (f) Asbolis capucinus Phoenix roebelenii Pygmy Date Palm c (f) Asbolis capucinus Roystonia regia Royal Palm N (f) Asbolis capucinus Thrinax radiata Bull Thatch Palm N (f) Asbolis capucinus Veitchia merrilli Christmas Palm c (f) Asbolis capucinus

Aristolochiaceae Aristolochia gigantea Dutchman's Pipe c f Battus polydamas Aristolochia odoratissima Fragrant Dutchman's Pipe N f Battus polydamas

149