10 Native “Weeds” for 20

Presented by: Andee Naccarato Naples Chapter of the Native Society My Background

• President, FNPS Naples Chapter • Environmental Educator • North American Association • Volunteer for over a dozen butterfly counts in south Florida

Andee Naccarato Outline • What are “native weeds”?

• Butterfly conservation & life cycle

• 10 native “weeds” for 20 butterflies

• Low-maintenance lawns

• What you can do at home Tropical checkered skipper Why This Talk?

• Think differently about some called “weeds” • Chance to highlight lesser-known butterflies & the “weedy” plants that support them • Different way to facilitate butterfly conservation at home For the Love of Butterflies

• Butterflies loved by general public • Desire to attract butterflies leads to search for nectar plants & host plants • Begin to understand needs of butterflies in gardens & natural habitats • Our yards can be both!

Queen butterflies nectaring on native wildflower What is a Native Plant?

• Native plant: A species that occurred within Florida prior to European contact • A plant that is a natural component of native habitats without human introduction or disturbance • ~3,300 species in Florida • ~ 1/3 grown in cultivation

Sources: https://www.fnps.org/natives/definition; https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/; https://www.fann.org/plants/filter Non-native Invasive Plants • Invasive Plants = species that take over and disrupt natural ecosystems • ~300 species in Florida • At least $45 million/year spent to manage invasive plants in natural areas • Resource: Center for Aquatic

Brazilian pepper, native to Brazil, Argentina, & Paraguay and Invasive Plants

Source: https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/ What is a Weed?

• Any plant not valued where it is growing • Could be native or non-native • Usually show up “uninvited”

Sources: https://www.fnps.org/natives/definition Some “Weedy” Plants are Native

• Naturally occur in Florida’s habitats, including those adjacent to human communities • Certain characteristics allow them to thrive in disturbed or dynamic conditions • Appear on roadsides, trail edges, vacant lots Characteristics of “weedy” natives

• High germination rate • Quick to bloom & set seed • Large numbers of seeds • Effective seed dispersal Characteristics of “weedy” natives

• High germination rate • Quick to bloom & set seed • Large numbers of seeds • Effective seed dispersal • Adaptation to thrive in disturbance • Persistence & dependability (from the butterfly’s perspective) What does this have to do with butterflies?

Some lawn “weeds” are also host plants for butterflies! Butterfly Life Cycle Egg

Butterfly Caterpillar

Chrysalis Butterfly Life Cycle Egg

Butterfly Caterpillar

Chrysalis Butterfly Life Cycle Egg

Butterfly Caterpillar

Chrysalis Butterfly Life Cycle Egg

Butterfly Caterpillar

Chrysalis Butterfly Life Cycle Egg

Butterfly Caterpillar

Chrysalis Zebra heliconian, Florida’s state butterfly Butterfly Life Cycle Egg

Butterfly Caterpillar

Chrysalis Passionvine, host plant for zebra heliconian Butterfly Needs Butterflies need host plants & nectar plants to complete their life cycle, and native plants are best! Butterfly Needs

Host Plant Nectar Plant

• The type of plant the adult • sought out butterfly lays her eggs on & by adult butterflies for nectar the caterpillars eat • Provides energy for flight • E.g. Milkweed for monarchs Butterflies: Specialists vs. Generalists

Specialists Generalists

• One or few, closely-related • Many, often distantly-related host plants species host plant species Explaining

Native “Weed” – Type 1 Native “Weed” – Type 2

• Plants with the word “weed” • Native plants often in the common name, but considered lawn weeds, and accepted as a desirable plant not widely known as native or as butterfly host plants 10 Native “Weeds” for 20 Butterflies

● Milkweed ● Hairypod Cowpea ● Blue Porterweed ● Ticktrefoils ● Turkey Tangle Fogfruit ● Purple Thistle ● Virginia Pepperweed ● Common Fanpetals ● Florida Pellitory ● Spanish Needles

South Florida focus Milkweed (Asclepias sp.)

• Perennial wildflower • 21 native species; 1 non-native • Family Apocynaceae • Native to a variety of habitats • Attracts pollinators • Host for monarch, queen, & soldier

FNPS: https://www.fnps.org/plant/asclepias-incarnata Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

• Large, bright orange butterfly with black veins and black borders with white spots • Females lay white eggs singly under leaves & on flowers

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-plexippus Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Monarch (Danaus plexippus) • Large, bright orange butterfly with black veins and black borders with white spots • Females lay white eggs singly under leaves & on flowers • Caterpillar has yellow, white, and black stripes and two pairs of black filaments • Caterpillars sequester plant toxins as protection from predators

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-plexippus Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Queen (Danaus gilippus)

• Close relative of monarch • Chestnut brown wings • Females lay white eggs singly under leaves & on flowers

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-gilippus Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Queen (Danaus gilippus)

• Close relative of monarch • Chestnut brown wings • Females lay white eggs singly under leaves & on flowers • Caterpillar black with white stripes and yellow markings; three pairs of black filaments

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-gilippus Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpeta jamaicensis)

• Short-lived perennial; self-seeds • Family Verbenaceae • (1 native species; 2 non-native) • Native to coastal strand, dry mesic hardwood forest • Popular nectar plant • Host for tropical buckeye

Photo by Danny Cox Resource: https://www.fnps.org/plant/stachytarpheta-jamaicensis Range maps: Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa. Tropical Buckeye (Junonia evarete)

• Brown butterfly with colorful markings & eyespots • Narrow, light-colored line distinctive on hindwing below • Found in extreme south FL • Female lays green eggs on leaves • Caterpillar black & spiny

Photo by Holly Salvato, with permission

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Junonia-evarete Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Turkey Tangle Fogfruit ()

• Short-lived perennial • Creeping groundcover • Family Verbenaceae • (2 native species; 1 non-native) • Occurs in wet prairies across FL • Popular nectar plant • Host for white peacock & phaon crescent (sometimes common buckeye)

Resources: https://www.fnps.org/plant/phyla-nodiflora Turkey Tangle Patch in homeowner’s yard White Peacock ( jatrophae)

• White and tan butterfly with black eye spots • Occurs in peninsular FL • Female lays green eggs singly • Caterpillar black with orange spines • Hide near ground during the day • Also uses herb-of-grace () as a host plant

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Anartia-jatrophae Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Phaon Crescent (Phyciodes phaon)

• Small orange butterfly with yellow bands & black markings • Occurs across FL • Female lays greenish-yellow eggs in clusters under leaves • Caterpillar small, brown with pale stripes • May feed in groups within silk nest

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Phyciodes-phaon Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Virginia Pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum)

• Annual wildflower • Also called “poor man’s pepper” • Also 3 non-native • Family Brassicaceae (mustard) • Blooms small white flowers in “bottlebrush” • Host for checkered white & great southern white

Resource: https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-lepidium-virginicum/ Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Great Southern White (Ascia monuste)

• Medium-sized white butterfly with dark edges • Turquoise antennal clubs • Found in across central & south FL; coastal north FL • Female lays slender, pale eggs singly or in small groups • Caterpillar green with yellow stripes & black spots • Young caterpillars may feed in groups

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Ascia-monuste Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Florida Pellitory ( floridana) • Annual or short-lived perennial • Family (nettles) • (3 native species; 1 non-native) • Native to moist hammocks • Tends to grow is moist, shady sites • Small, green flowers in leaf axils • Host for red admiral

Resources: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2018/02/15/please-identify-weed/ Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) • Black butterfly with reddish-orange bands and white spots • Occurs across FL • Female lays pale green eggs singly on top of leaves • Caterpillar spiny & dark-colored with yellow or white markings • Make shelters by tying leaves together with silk • Also uses false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica) & heartleaf nettle (Urtica chamaedryoides)

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-atalanta Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Hairypod Cowpea () • Vine • Family (peas) • Variety of habitats • Blooms yellow flowers all year; pea pods • Host for cassius blue, ceraunus blue, gray hairstreak & longtailed skipper

Resource: https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Vignlute Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Cassius Blue ( cassius) • Very small grayish butterfly with blue-gray above • Occurs across peninsular FL • Female lays flat, pale green eggs singly on flower buds • Caterpillar small & “sluglike” with variable colors • Eat flower buds & immature seeds

Resources: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Leptotes-cassius Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Ticktrefoils (Desmodium sp.)

• Sprawling herb with pink-purple flowers • Family Fabaceae (peas) • “Stick tights” like Velcro • 19 native species; 5 non-native • Variety of habitats across state • Host for gray hairstreak, longtailed skipper, & Dorantes longtail

Photos used with permission from Florida Plant Atlas (https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/photo.aspx?ID=4415) Resources: https://regionalconservation.org/ircs/database/plants/PlantPage.asp?TXCODE=Desmflor Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus) • Medium-sized brown butterfly with long tails (sometimes missing) & turquoise body above • Occurs across FL • Female lays pale yellow eggs singly or short stacks • Caterpillar green with yellow stripe & brown head • Make shelters by folding leaf pieces or tying whole leaves together • “Bean leaf roller” • Long list of host plants in pea family

Resources: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Urbanus-proteus Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Purple Thistle ( horridulum)

• Annual or short-lived wildflower • Family • Native to coastal uplands • Flowers may be white, pink, or purple; also called yellow thistle • Spiny foliage & stem • Host for little metalmark and painted lady

Resources: https://www.fnps.org/plant/cirsium-horridulum Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Purple Thistle ()

• Annual or short-lived wildflower • Family Asteraceae • Native to coastal uplands • Flowers may be white, pink, or purple; also called yellow thistle • Spiny foliage & stem • Host for little metalmark and painted lady

Resources: https://www.fnps.org/plant/cirsium-horridulum Purple Thistle (Cirsium horridulum)

• Annual or short-lived wildflower • Family Asteraceae • Native to coastal uplands • Flowers may be white, pink, or purple; also called yellow thistle • Spiny foliage & stem • Host for little metalmark and painted lady

Resources: https://www.fnps.org/plant/cirsium-horridulum Purple Thistle (Cirsium horridulum)

• Annual or short-lived • Family Asteraceae • Native to coastal uplands • Flowers may be white, pink, or purple; also called yellow thistle • Spiny foliage • Host for little metalmark and painted lady

Resources: https://www.fnps.org/plant/cirsium-horridulum Little Metalmark ( virginiensis)

• Very small orange butterfly with blue iridescent bands • Found across FL in flatwoods, sandhills, prairies • Females lay flat, brown eggs under leaves • Caterpillar whitish-green with very long hairs • Look for small round “windows” in leaves

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Calephelis-virginiensis Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Common Fanpetals (Sida ulmifolia) • Herbaceous wildflower to 3 ft tall • Family Malvaceae (hibiscus) • (5 native species; 6 non-native) • Pinelands & disturbed areas • Responds well to mowing • Blooms all year • Host for gray hairstreak, mallow scrub-hairstreak, & checkered skippers

Resource: https://regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Sidaelli Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon istapa)

• Very small gray butterfly with orange-rimmed black spot • Found along south FL coast • Females lay white eggs singly on flower buds • Caterpillar “sluglike” and variable (red or green) • Also uses sleepy morning (Waltheria indica) as host plant

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Strymon-istapa Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) Spanish Needles (Bidens alba) • Herbaceous wildflower • Family Asteraceae • Widespread in disturbed sites • Seed = two-pronged, needle-like • Host for dainty sulphur • Nectar for many, many pollinators • Yellow center = multiple florets

Resources: https://www.fnps.org/plant/bidens-alba; https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Bidealbaradi https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-bidens-alba/ Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole)

• Small yellow butterfly with black spot visible on forewing below • Found across peninsular FL • Females lay slender yellow eggs on seedlings • Caterpillars green with purple stripe; rest on stems

Resource: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Nathalis-iole Florida Butterfly Caterpillars and Their Host Plants, by Minno, Butler, and Hall (2005) “A weed worth growing.” ~ Roger Hammer Low- Maintenance Lawns • Lawns with less maintenance often have higher diversity • Free from: • Herbicides • Pesticides • Excessive irrigation & fertilizers • Mow high & less frequently • Still need to remove invasive plants • Leads to greater groundcover diversity

Greater plant diversity leads to greater wildlife diversity If you have the plant, will the butterflies arrive?

It depends. The butterfly’s natural range must overlap your place of residence. What Can You Do? • Talk to neighbors & friends • Join local FNPS & NABA chapters • Get familiar with the native and non-native weeds in your area • Limit or cease herbicide & pesticide use on your lawn to promote groundcover diversity Resources: Books

https://www.fnps.org/resources/books Resources: Plant Websites

Florida Native Plant Society: www.fnps.org Naples Native Plants: www.fnpsnaples.org Florida Plant Atlas: http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu Florida Wildflower Foundation: https://flawildflowers.org/ Institute for Regional Conservation: www.regionalconservation.org Resources: Butterfly Websites

Butterflies & Moths of : www.butterfliesandmoths.org eButterfly: https://www.e-butterfly.org/ Florida Museum Butterfly Brochures: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-butterflies/brochures/ North American Butterfly Association: https://www.naba.org/ UF McGuire Center for : https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/mcguire/ Website: Fnpsnaples.org E-mail: [email protected]