Plants That Support Butterflies and Moths

Many plants found on the Cumberland Trail support butterflies and moths as does the larger ecosystem in Tennessee.  The table below shows the butterfly species known to frequent this area and the plants that feed the caterpillars and attract the adults.  The table below is based on species spotted during  North American Butterfly Association butterfly counts.

Butterflies (Common Name)	Scientific Name	Caterpillar Host Plants	Adult Food
Admirals	Limenitidinae
Astyanax Red-spotted purple	Limenitis arthemis astyanax	not reported	not reported
Red-spotted purple	Limenitis arthemis	wild cherry, aspen, poplar, cottonwood, oaks, hawthorn, deerberry, birch, willows, basswood, shadbush (Amelanchier)	sap, rotting fruit, carrion, dung, small white flowers, aphid honeydew
Viceroy	Limenitis archippus	trees in the willow family (willows, poplars, and cottonwoods)	aphid honeydew, carrion, dung, decaying fungi, aster, goldenrod, joe-pye weed, thistle
Emperors	Apaturinae
Hackberry Emperor	Asterocampa celtis	hackberries (Celtis) and sugarberry	sap, rotting fruit, dung, carrion
Tawny Emperor	Asterocampa clyton	elm family trees	tree sap, rotting fruit, dung, carrion.  Rarely visit flowers
Leafwings	Charaxinae
Goatweed Leafwing	Anaea andria	Goatweed (croton), prairie tea; all spurge family members	Sap, rotting fruit, dung, bird droppings
Longwings	Heliconiinae
Aphrodite Fritillary	Speyeria aphrodite	Violet species	milkweed, coneflower (pictured), viper’s bugloss, others
Diana	Speyeria diana	Violets	dung, common and swamp milkweeds, ironweed, red clover
Great Spangled Fritillary	Speyeria cybele	various violet species	milkweeds, thistles, ironweed, dogbane, mountain laurel, vetch, bergamot, red clover, purple coneflower
Gulf Fritillary	Agraulis vanillae	passionflower-vine species	composites like members of the aster family
Variegated Fritillary	Euptoieta claudia	passionflower-vine, may apple, violets, purslane, stonecrop, moonseed	butterflyweed, common milkweed, swamp milkweed, coreopsis
Milkweed Butterlies	Danainae
Monarch	Danaus plexippus	milkweed family members (swamp, common, showy)	all milkweeds, dogbane, lilac, red clover, thistles, goldenrod, liatris, coreopsis
Snouts	Libytheinae
‘American Snout	Libythaena carinenta	hackberries (Celtis)	aster, dogbane, goldenrod, sweet pepperbush
True Brushfoots	Nymphalainae
American Lady	Vanessa virginiensis	Sunflower family, wormwood, ironweed, burdock	dogbane, aster, goldenrod, milkweed, vetch
Baltimore	Euphydryas phaeton	turtlehead, hairy beardtongue, false foxglove	milkweed, viburnum, wild rose
Common Buckeye	Junonia coenia	snapdragon family, plantain family	aster, chickory, coreopsis
Eastern Comma	Polygonia comma	All elm and nettle families	rotting fruit and tree sap
Gorgone Checkerspot	Chlosyne gorgone	Aster family including sunflower and crosswort	prefers yellow flowers
Mourning Cloak	Nymphalis antiopa	willows, American elm, cottonwood, aspen, paper birch, hackberry	tree sap, especially oaks, rotted fruit
Painted Lady	Vanessa cardui	More than 100 host plants have been noted, including thistles, mallow, and various legumes	The Painted Lady prefers nectar from composites 3-6 feet high, especially thistles; also aster, cosmos, blazing star, ironweed, and joe-pye weed. Flowers from other families that are visited include red clover, buttonbush, privet, and milkweeds.
Pearl Crescent	Phyciodes tharos	Smooth-leaved true asters	great variety of flowers including dogbane, milkweed, asters
Question Mark	Polygonia interrogationis	American elm, hackberry, nettles	rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, carrion; when not available will visit milkweed, aster, sweetpepper bush (Clethra)
Red Admiral	Vanessa atalanta	Nettle family members and possibly hops	sap flows on trees, fermenting fruit, bird droppings; visit flowers only when these are not available
Silvery Checkerspot	Chlosyne nycteis		Many composites including rudbeckia, sunflowers
Gossamer-wing Butterflies	(Lycaenidae)
Harvesters	Miletinae
Harvester	Feniseca tarquinius	woolly aphids, and sometimes scale insects or treehoppers; only carniverous caterpillar in the North America	aphid honeydew
Hairstreaks	Theclinae
Great Purple Hairstreak	Atlides halesus	mistletoe	goldenrod, shepherd’s needle, sweet pepperbush, wild plum
Juniper Hairstreak	Callophrys gryneus	red cedar	dogbane, milwkeed, wild carrot, butterflyweed, sweet white clover
Brown Elfin	Callophrys augustinus	Heath family members (huckleberry)	blueberry, spicebush, willow, wild plum
Eastern Pine Elfin	Callophrys niphon	Various hard pines, white pine	blueberry, cinquefoil, chickweed, common milkweed, white sweet clover
Banded Hairstreak	Satyrium calanus	Many species of oak, walnut, and hickory	dogbane, common milkweed, sumac, white sweet clover, yarrow
Striped Hairstreak	Satyrium liparops	Woody trees and shrubs in the rose family (plum, heath), hornbeam, oak, willow	common milkweed, dogbane, goldenrod, meadowsweet, white sweet clover, viburnum
Red-banded Hairstreak	Calycopis cecrops	Max myrtle, sumac, several oaks	Wild cherry, coreopsis, sumac, sweet pepperbush, common milkweed, dogbane
Gray Hairstreak	Strymon melinus	Large variety of plants, most often pea and mallow family	dogbane, milkweed, mint, winter cress, goldenrod, white sweet clover
White M Hairstreak	Parrhasius m-album	Oak species	viburnum, sumac, sourwood, wild plum, sweet pepperbush, common milkweed, dogwood, goldenrod
Coral Hairstreak	Satyrium titus	wild cherry, wild plum, chokeberry, rose family	butterflyweed, dogbane, sulphur flower
Blues	Polyommatinae
Eastern Tailed-Blue	Cupido comyntas	many plants in the pea family including yellow sweet clover, alfalfa, clover, wild pea, bush clover	found on flowers close to the ground like white sweet cover, shepherd’s needle, wild strawberry, cinquefoils, asters
Summer Azure	Celastrina neglecta	Racemose dogwood, New Jersey Tea, and others	flower nectar
Parnassians and Swallowtails	Papilionidae
Swallowtails	Papilioniae
Black Swallowtail	Papilio polyxenes	Leaves of parley family (Apiaceae) – carrot, celery, dill, Queen Anne’s Lace	red clover, common milkweed, liatris, thistles
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	Papilio glaucus	Wild cherry, sweetbay, basswood, tulip tree, birch, ash, cottonwood, mountain ash, willow	wild cherry, lilac
Giant Swallowtail	Papilio cresphontes	Citrus family, hop tree, common rue	azalea, goldenrod, swamp milkweed
Pipevine Swallowtail	Battus philenor	pipevines (Aristolochia)	thistles, bergamot, azaleas, phlox, and others
Spicebush Swallowtail	Papilio troilus	Spicebush, sassafras, tulip tree, sweetbay	thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, sweet pepperbush
Zebra Swallowtail	Eurytides marcellus	Shrubs of genus Asimina (pawpaw), preferably young plants	blueberry, blackberry, redbud, viper’s bugloss, dogbane, common milkweed
Skippers	Hesperiidae
Giant Skippers	Megathyminae
Cofaqui Giant-Skipper	Megathymus cofaqui	Yucca filamentosas, Y. alofolia	Adults do not feed, but males sip moisture from mud
Spread-wing Skippers	Pyrginae
Common Sootywing	Pholisora catullus	lambsquarters, amaranths, cockscomb	many flowers including dogbane, oxalis, white clover, common milkweed, cucumber, and melon
Golden Banded-Skipper	Autochton cellus	hog peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata)	trailing arbutus, blackberry, abelia, hollyhock
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing	Staphylus hayhurstii	Goosefoot family (Chenopodiacae), pigweed family (Amaranthaceae)	white sweet clover, white clover, cucumber, dogbane
Hoary Edge	Achalarus lyciades	beggar’s ticks, false indigo, bush clover, all pea family members	milkweed, dogbane, buttonbush, New Jersey Tea
Horace’s Duskywing	Erynnis horatius	Red, white, willow, post, water oaks	dogbane, goldenrod, boneset
Juvenal’s Duskywing	Erynnis juvenalis	Tree and shrub oaks	wild plum, blueberry, redbud, lilac
Long-tailed Skipper	Urbanus proteus	vine legumes including beans, blue peas, wisteria	bougainvillea, lantana, shepherd’s needle
Mottled Duskywing	Erynnis martialis	Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae), wild lilacs	hoary vervain, and others
Northern Cloudywing	Thorybes pylades	Various plants in the pea family including bush clover, clover and others	Blue, purple, pink or white flowers (thistles, milkweed, vervain)
Silver-spotted Skipper	Epargyreus clarus	Woody legumes including black locust, honey locust, and false indigo	red clover, common milkweed, liatris, thistles
Sleepy Duskywing	Erynnis brizo	Shrubby oaks	wild azalea, blueberry, blackberry, dandelion
Southern Cloudywing	Thorybes bathyllus	pea family members (bush clover, clover, wild bean)	Blue, purple, pink or white flowers (thistles, milkweed, vervain)
Wild Indigo Duskywing	Erynnis baptisiae	wild indigo, crown vetch, lupine	blackberry, sweet white clover, dogbane, sunflower
Grass Skippers	Hesperiinae
Swarthy Skipper	Nastra lherminier	little bluestem	low-growing flowers like red clover, purple vetch
Clouded Skipper	Lerema accius	various grasses including wooly beard grass, St. Augustine	Various pink, purple, or white flowers including shepherd’s needle, selfheal, vervain, buttonbush, and lantana.
Least Skipper	Ancyloxypha numitor	Various grasses including marsh millet (Zizaniopsis miliacea), rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa).	Flower nectar from low growing plants such as wood sorrel, swamp verbena, pickerelweed, chickory, and white clover.
Fiery Skipper	Hylephila phyleus	Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and other grasses.	sweet pepperbush, swamp milkweed, asters, sneezeweed, knapweed, ironweed, and thistles
Sachem	Atalopedes campestris	Grasses including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and goosegrass (Eleusine).	swamp and common milkweeds, buttonbush, dogbane, peppermint, red clover, tickseed sunflower, thistles, New York ironweed, marigold, and asters
Tawny-edged Skipper	Polites themistocles	Panic grasses (Panicum), slender crabgrass (Digitaria filiformis), and bluegrass (Poa pratensis).	alfalfa, red clover, dogbane, shrub houstonia, purple coneflower, thistles, and chicory
Crossline Skipper	Polites originese	Purpletop (Tridens flavus), little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), and other grasses	White, pink, or purple flowers are preferred including purple vetch, red clover, selfheal, dogbane, shrub houstonia, New Jersey tea, and New York ironweed
Southern Broken-Dash	Wallengrenia otho	Paspalum and St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum).	pickerelweed, selfheal, and sweet pepperbush
Northern Broken-Dash	Wallengrenia egeremet	Panic grasses including deertongue grass (Panicum clandestinum) and P. dichotomum	white, pink, or purple flowers is favored including dogbane, red clover, New Jersey tea, and sweet pepperbush
Little Glassywing	Pompeius verna	Purpletop (Tridens flavus).	white, pink, and purple flowers is preferred, including dogbane, selfheal, peppermint, joe-pye weed, and common and swamp milkweeds. Yellow flowers are visited when others are unavailable
Delaware Skipper	Anatrytone logan	Various grasses including big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and wooly beard grass (Erianthus divaricatus).	pink and white flowers including swamp and common milkweeds, shrub houstonia, mountain mint, marsh fleabane, sweet pepperbush, buttonbush, thistles, and pickerelweed
Hobomok Skipper	Poanes hobomok	Various grasses including panic grasses (Panicum) and bluegrasses (Poa).	common milkweed, henbit, viper’s bugloss, and blackberry
Zabulon Skipper	Poanes zabulon	Grasses including lovegrass (Eragrostis), purpletop (Tridens), bluegrass (Poa), wheatgrass (Agropyron), orchardgrass (Dactylis), wildrye (Elymus), and bentgrass (Agrostis).	blackberry, purple vetch, common milkweed, buttonbush, joe-pye weed, and thistles
Broad-winged Skipper	Poanes viator	hairy sedge (Carex lacustris);	swamp milkweed, blue vervain
Yehl Skipper	Poanes yehl	Probably cane (Arundinaria species)	sweet pepperbush, chinquapin, pickerelweed, and swamp milkweed
Dion Skipper	Euphyes dion	Various sedges including woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus), hairy sedge (Carex lacustris	pickerelweed, sneezeweed, buttonbush, Alsike clover, and others
Dun Skipper	Euphyes vestris	Various sedges including chufa flatsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and sun sedge (Carex heliophila).	white, pink, or purple flowers including common milkweed, purple vetch, selfheal, peppermint, dogbane, New Jersey tea, and viper’s bugloss
Dusted Skipper	Atrytonopsis hiana	Little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius) and big bluestem (A. gerardi).	wild strawberry, blackberry, wild hyacinth, phlox, vervain, and red clover
Pepper and Salt Skipper	Amblyscirtes hegon	Bluegrass (Poa pratensis), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans and S. secundum), and Indian woodoats grass (Chasmanthium latifolia).	viburnum and blackberry
Reversed Roadside-Skipper	Amblyscirtes reversa	Switch cane (Arundinaria tecta)	flower nectar
Lace-winged Roadside Skipper	Amblyscirtes aesculapius	Probably cane (Arundinaria).	sweet pepperbush, blackberry, passion flower, white clover, selfheal, and dogbane
Common Roadside-Skipper	Amblyscirtes vialis	Various grasses including wild oats (Avena), bent grass (Agrostis), bluegrass (Poa), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and Indian woodoats grass (Chasmanthium latifolia).	low-growing blue flowers including verbena and selfheal
Ocola Skipper	Panoquina ocola	Rice (Oryza sativa), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), and trompetilla grass (Hymenachne amplexicaulis).	lantana, shepherd’s needle, swamp milkweed, buttonbush, and pickerelweed
Whites and Sulphurs	Pieridae
Whites	Pierinae
Checkered White	Pontia protodice	Plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) including cabbage (Brassica oleraceae)	hedge mustards, composites, and alfalfa
Cabbage White	Pieris rapae	Many plants in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family	mustards, dandelion, red clover, asters, and mints
West Virginia White	Pieris virginiensis	Toothworts (Dentaria diphylla and D. laciniata) in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family	toothworts, spring beauty, violets, and other plants.
Falcate Orangetip	Anthocharis midea	Plants of the mustard (Brassicaceae) family including rock cress (Arabis) and winter cress (Barbarea) species	flowers of mustards, violets, and others
Sulphurs	Coliadinae
Clouded Sulphur	Colias philodice	Plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), and pea (Pisum sativum)	Nectar of many flowering plants
Orange Sulphur	Colias eurytheme	Plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), and white sweet clover (Melilotus alba).	dandelion, milkweeds, goldenrods, and asters.
Southern Dogface	Zerene cesonia	Small-leaved plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including alfalfa (Medicago sativa); prairie clovers (Pentalostemon), indigo (Dalea), and clover (Trifolium) species	alfalfa, coreopsis, houstonia, and verbena
Cloudless Sulphur	Phoebis sennae	Cassia species in the pea family (Fabaceae).	flowers with long tubes including cordia, bougainvilla, cardinal flower, hibiscus, lantana, and wild morning glory
Little Yellow	Pyrisitia lisa	Partridge pea (Cassia fasciculata) and wild sensitive plant (C. nicitans) in the pea family (Fabaceae).	aster family (Asteraceae) including goldenrods and asters
Sleepy Orange	Abaeis nicippe	Cassia species in the pea family (Fabaceae).	many species of flowers
Satyrs and Wood-Nymphs	Satyrinae
Southern Pearly Eye	Enodia portlandia	Bamboo switch cane (A. tecta).	Sap, rotting fruit, carrion, dung
Northern Pearly Eye	Enodia anthedon	Various grasses including white grass (Leersia virginica), bearded shorthusk (Brachyelytrum erectum), plumegrass (Erianthus), broadleaf uniola (Uniola latifolia), and bottlebrush (Hystrix patula).	Dung, fungi, carrion, and sap from willows, poplars, and birch
Appalachian Brown	Satyrodes appalachia	Sedge (Carex lacustris) and giant sedge (Rhynchospora inundata) in the sedge family (Cyperaceae).	Sap and other non-floral resources
Gemmed Satyr	Cyllopsis gemma	Probably Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)	not reported
Carolina Satyr	Hermeuptychia sosybuis	Carpet grass (Axonopus compressus), centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides); probably St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and others.	Sap and rotting fruit
Little Wood Nymph	Megisto cymela	Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) and centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides).	Sap, aphid honeydew, and rarely flower nectar.
Common Wood Nymph	Cercyonis pegala	Purpletop (Tridens flavus) and other grasses.	Rotting fruit, flower nectar
Wild Silk Moths	Saturniidae
Giant Silkworm Moths	Saturniiae
Tuliptree silkmoth		Yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) in the magnolia family	Adults do not feed.
Cecropia silkmoth	Hyalophora cecropia	Various trees and shrubs including box elder (Acer negundo), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), wild cherries and plums (Prunus), apples (Malus), alder and birch (Betulaceae), dogwoods (Cornus), and willows (Salix).	Adults do not feed.
Sphinx Moths, Hawkmoths	Sphingidae
Macroglossinae	Macroglossinae
Hummingbird clearwing	Hemaris thysbe	Honeysuckle (Lonicera), snowberry (Symphoricarpos), hawthorns (Crataegus), cherries and plums (Prunus), and European cranberry bush (Viburnum opulus).	wide variety of flowers including  beebalm, red clover, lilac, phlox, snowberry, cranberry, blueberry, vetch, and thistles