Butterflies Most Likely to be Seen In Tidewater, VA

and Their Host Plants

Scientific Name Common Name Host Plant Asterocampa celtis Hackberry Emperor sugarberry, hackberry Asterocampa clyton Tawny Emperor sugarberry, hackberry Atalopedes campestris Sachem grasses - bermuda Atlides halesus Great Purple Hairstreak mistletoe Battus philenor Pipevine Swallowtail pipevine Calycopis cecrops Red-Banded Hairstreak fallen leaves - sumacs, wax myrtle, oak Cercyonis pegala Common (Lg.) Wood-Nymph purple top, other grasses Celastrina ladon argiolus Spring Azure flowering parts — dogwood, wild cherry Colias eurytheme Orange Sulphur legumes, clover, alfalfa Colias philodice Clouded Sulphur legumes, clover, alfalfa, vetch, lupine Danaus plexippus Monarch milkweeds Endoia portlandia Southern Pearly-eye giant cane, switch cane Endoia creola Creole Pearly Eye switch cane Epargyreus clarus Silver-spotted Skipper black locust, wisteria, legumes Erynnis horatius Horace’s Duskywing oaks Euptoieta claudia Variegated Fritillary violet, maypop, passionflower, pansies, plantain Eurema nicippe Sleepy Orange cassia Eurytides marcellus Zebra Swallowtail pawpaw Everes comyntas Eastern Tailed-Blue variety of herbaceous legumes Hylephila phyleus Fiery Skipper weedy grasses — crabgrass, bermuda Junonia coenia Common Buckeye snapdragon, toadflax, plantain, verbena Lerema accius Clouded Skipper grasses Libytheana bachmanii American Snout Butterfly hackberry, sugarberry Limenitis archippus Viceroy willow, poplar, aspen, apple, cherry, plum Limenitis astyanax Red-spotted Purple wild cherry, poplar, aspen, black oak Lycaena phlaeas American Copper sheep sorrel Megisto cymela Little Wood-Satyr grasses Mitoura gryneus 'Olive' Juniper Hairstreak red cedar and other junipers Nymphalis antiopa Mourning Cloak willow, birches, cottonwood, elm, hackberry Papilio glaucus Eastern Tiger Swallowtail poplar, wild cherry, sweet bay, tulip, lilac Papilio palamedes Palamedes Swallowtail red bay Papilio polyxenes asterius Black Swallowtail parsley, fennel, rue, dill, carrot family Papilio troilus Spicebush Swallowtail spicebush, sassafras, various bays Phoebis sennae Cloudless Sulphur cassia, clover, other legumes Pholisora catullus Common Sootywing lamb’s quarter, amaranthus, cockscomb Phyciodes tharos Pearl Crescent asters Pieris rapae Cabbage White cabbage, mustard family, nasturtium, cleome Poanes viator Broad-wing Skipper lamb’s quarter, amaranthus, cockscomb Poanes zabulon Zabulon Skipper grasses Polygonia comma Comma/Hop Merchant nettle, hops, elm, hackberry Polygonia interrogationis Question Mark nettle, hops, elm, hackberry Pyrgus communis Common Checkered Skipper mallow, hollyhock Staphylus hayhurstii Hayhurst's Scallopwing Lamb’s quarter Strymon melinus Gray Hairstreak pea and mallow families Urbanus proteus Long-tailed Skipper beans and other legumes, crucifers, canna lilies Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral nettles, false nettle, hops Vanessa cardui Painted Lady thistle, mallow, legumes Vanessa virginiensis American Lady everlastings, pussy toes, daisy family

This list was prepared by members of The Butterfly Society of Virginia. For membership information, contact Betty Hazen at [email protected] or by phone at (757) 456-0440. The Butterfly Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to education, conservation, gardening (both private and public) and volunteering for the benefit of the butterfly and moth populations of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Revised July 2001