Butterflies and Moths 2020

 Butterflies and Moths

Female Tiger Swallowtail

Butterflies and moths family, Lepidoptera, represent a large family of insects that are well-liked by people and like birds come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. There are more than 150 species of butterflies in the Carolinas, while the number moth species is much higher than that. In the Carolinas, butterflies and moths are most active from March to November although they can be seen in every month in the Cape Fear Region and the South Carolina coast. Butterflies are the most numerous from late summer to mid-autumn (approximately July to October). While we often notice the adults flying about in gardens, meadows, and woodlands, the majority of the lifecycle of butterflies and moths is spent in the larval stage. Butterflies and moths depend on specific host plants to reproduce and the species seen in a garden or patch of forest can indicate what plants are present in the landscape. In this article, I will go over the basics of butterflies and moths, how to host them in your garden, and some of the most notable species or groups in our area. In future articles or possibly a separate page, I will go into more detail about specific groups and how to make a butterfly garden. 

Lepidoptera Overview

Butterflies and moths are members of the family, Lepidoptera and are distinguished from other insects such as bees or flies, by their large wings and their narrow bodies. Butterflies and moths are very similar to each other although there are some notable differences. First off, all butterflies are diurnal, which means you are not likely to see Monarchs or Swallowtails flying around at night. Moths on the other hand can be seen during the day, or night although many of our most iconic species are nocturnal.  Butterflies also tend to be more colorful, hold their wings vertically at rest, and have long antennae. Moths often hold their wings flat (with some exceptions such as the Imperial Moth), are often duller in  color, and may have featherlike or clubbed antennae. Both butterflies and moths go through the same metamorphic cycles and the adult stage lasts from two to six weeks depending on the species. Some species of moths do not feed as adults, while all butterflies will feed on nectar, fruit, detritus, or even tree sap. 

Butterflies vs Moths
Butterflies	Moths
Only active during the day	Active day or night
Wings held vertically	Wings often held flat
Clubbed Antennae	Feather or Threadlike Antennae
All species feed as adults	Some species do not feed as adults

 

Lifecycle 

Most of us are familiar with metamorphosis and may have learned about the lifecycle of butterflies in primary school or saw it on a PBS or Animal Planet documentary. The actual butterflies and moths we see in our gardens are the adults, which represents the final stage of the insects' life. The first three stages of life make up the majority of the life of a butterfly. These stages include the egg, larval, and pupa stage which is the case for most other insects including bees, wasps, ants, flies, and beetles. Other insects such as true bugs, cockroaches, and mantises go through a nymph stage, (little versions of the adult insect) omitting the pupa stage. The larvae of butterflies are wormlike and are often referred to as caterpillars or simply worms. 

Metamorphosis Cycle 

1. Egg Stage: Adult butterflies/moths lay eggs on a host plant (a milkweed for example), and the eggs hatch in a few days, weeks, or perhaps the next season 
2. Larval Stage: The larvae or caterpillars emerge from the eggs and feed on their host plant for one or several weeks to build up energy. Caterpillars often go through multiple stages known as instars and will shed their skin several times 
3. Pupa Stage: Once the caterpillar has obtained enough energy, it will molt one last time and transform into a cocoon or chrysalis (a sack like structure). This stage lasts several days or up to a few weeks.
4. Adult: Adult emerges from the chrysalis with wings, a hardened body and fully developed legs. After its wings dry the butterfly will fly off to find a potential mate and a cluster of host  plants. The adult butterfly or moth lives anywhere from a few days (for non-feeding species of moths) to up to six weeks.

Metamorphosis In Pictures 

Monarch Caterpillar on Milkweed

Monarch Chrysalis 

Emerging Monarch

Behavior 

Butterflies and moths are generally seen flying around gardens, meadows, or forests in search of mates, or host plants. As adults the insects may stop at flowers, tree blossoms, decaying fruit, or even carrion to obtain nutrients and fuel for flying. Moths tend to be a little less active and may be found resting on tree trunks, the ground, or under a porch light, although the agile little sphinx moth is very active. As for the caterpillars, they just feed continuously on their food plants and try to avoid being eaten by birds, lizards, wasps, or other potential predators. 

Defense: Adult and larval butterflies and moths are rather helpless against predators and other dangers although many species have found ways to survive. Camouflage is the main means of defense. Caterpillars are green, yellowish, or brown to blend into their plants, and most moths and certain butterflies such as skippers and Wood Nymphs are brown or grey with patterns to blend into the landscape. Other species have caterpillars that look like bird guano, or dead leaves to look unappetizing to a would-be predator, while a few species have hairs, spines, or even stinging barbs to further deter predation. Adult butterflies or moths with bright colors often mimic dangerous insects such as bees, or wasps. Lastly, a few butterflies including the Monarch and Queen Butterflies absorb toxins from their host plants (like milkweed or dogbane) making them distasteful or even dangerous to anyone that eats them or their larvae. 

Migration: A handful of butterflies undergo long migrations. Insect migration is different from bird migration. Migration occurs over multiple generations with each group travelling several hundred kilometres (or miles) and laying eggs on specific host plants along the way. After a breeding cycle, the next generation continues the journey. Monarchs, Queens, Painted Ladies, and Gulf Fritillaries, and Sulphurs all embark on migrations. The Painted Lady is particularly notable for having a very long migration with both the European and North American species travelling thousands of kilometres each way. A Nova documentary on PBS revealed that this particular butterfly can fly continuously at high altitudes, explaining the reason why they "randomly" appear in a given region without being detected in migration. There is still much to be learned about the migration of butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects. 

Host Plants 

Passionvine is a host for Gulf Fritillary Butterflies  

Black Cherries host Imperial Moths, Viceroys and more

All butterflies and moths depend on a group of plants for their larvae to feed on. These plants are known as host plants and are vital for future generations of insects. Many butterflies or moths have a rather limited selection of plants they can feed on with a few species being entirely dependent on a single species of plant. Other butterflies and some of our moth species are generalist and will accept a wider range of plants. For instance, flannel moths will accept most kinds of trees, while many Skippers will use most species grass. On the other hand, the rare  Frosted Elfin Butterfly in New Hanover County and a few pinelands in Brunswick and Pender Counties depend entirely on a species of Lupine. According to the book Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy, oaks, hickories, elms, and birches support the  most species of Lepidoptera. In our gardens, host plants are the best way to attract butterflies and are more important than nectar plants. The butterflies and moths we see in the gardens often come from a nearby habitat with host plants. If you see a partiualr butterfly or moth in your neighborhood, its host plant is likely just around the corner or in a wood or meadow near you. 

Attracting Butterflies 

A bunch of skippers on a Stevia Plant

Butterflies and moths are fairly easy to attract and like birds, they are often sought after by nature lovers, gardeners, and even everyday people who want to add a little color to their gardens. Butterflies and certain moths look nice, are completely harmless and are often an important part of culture, and most importantly are familiar to most people. The best way to attract butterflies to your garden is to provide the plants needed for reproduction. Choosing the right plants can take some research although many of our native plants and trees host at least one species of butterfly and multiple moth species. Flowering plants are also important for butterflies and certain moths although gardens without host plants will only see visiting adults, meaning that you will miss out on our most unique or attractive species. Even if you do not have host plants or even flowering plants, you can help butterflies by minimizing the use of insecticides, tolerating some weeds in your garden, and helping to encourage community gardens, tree planting organizations, and to get neighborhoods or cities to install butterfly or pollinator gardens in public spaces. 

An example of a Pollinator Garden

Butterfly Gardens: A good butterfly garden contains both larval host plants, and a wide selection of flowering plants for the adults to feed on. In addition to butterflies, these gardens will also help our honeybee populations, native bees such as bumblebees, mason bees, and many solitary species, as well as provide food for songbirds and lizards. While the garden does not have to consist entirely of native plants, it is important to include key host plants for the species of butterflies you want in your garden, and to find flowering plants adapted for the region. Any flowerbed or even a vegetable garden can become a butterfly habitat with the right selection of plants. Mixing in flowering plants like asters, coreopsis, or salvia into your vegetable herb garden brings pollinators closer to your crops, encourages predatory insects like wasp to control caterpillar or beetle infestations, and makes your garden look more attractive. 

Good Flowering Plants for Butterflies 

Moonflower is popular with Sphinx Moths 

Rubekia Coneflowers are both host plants and nectar sources

• Asters
• Coreopsis 
• Coneflower 
• Goldenrod 
• Salvia and Sages
• Joe Pye Weed
• Butterfly Bush  
• Basils 
• Beebalm and Mountain Mint
• Verbena 
• Coral Honeysuckle 
• Yarrow 
• Yellow Thistle 
• Lantana 

Host Plants to Start 

Butterfly Milkweed, a key plant for Monarchs

• Milkweed "Butterflyweed" for Monarch or Queen Butterflies 
• Native Grasses for Skippers 
• Fennel, Parsley, or Golden Alexander for Black Swallowtails 
• Indigo (Baptista), Vetch, or Clover for Sulphurs, Hairstreaks, Eastern Tailed Blues
• Passionfruit Vine for Gulf Fritillaries 
• Violets for Dianna or Great Spangled Fritillaries 
• Mallows or Thistles for Painted Ladies 
• Native Azaleas for Comma Butterflies 
• Spicebush for Spicebush Swallowtails  
• Asters for Pearly Crescents  

Good Trees for Butterflies 

Oaks such as this Live Oak support up to 500 species of Lepidoptera

• Oaks 
• Elms 
• Hickories 
• Birches 
• Maples
• Willows 
• Wild Cherries 
• Sassafras
• Pawpaw  

Sampling of Butterflies and Moths

Swallowtails: Swallowtails are our largest butterflies with some species such as the Tiger Swallowtail and Giant Swallowtail having wingspans greater than 16cm (6.5"). These butterflies are so large that they can be mistaken for birds. Swallowtails are common most of the year in the Cape Fear Region with the Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, and Palamedes Swallowtail being common in gardens. They will visit most nectar plants and seem to enjoy butterfly bush, most asters or goldenrods, and any garden plant with abundant flowers. 

Tiger Swallowtail, Male

Spicebush Swallowtail

• You can easily host Black Swallowtails by planting fennel, dill, parsley, and other members of the carrot family in your garden or by opting for the native Golden Alexandra or the naturalized Queens Anne's Lace. 

• Spicebush and Palamedes Swallowtails can be hosted with Spicebush, Sassafras, and Red Bay, while the Tiger Swallowtail will use many trees. 

• To attract the Zebra Swallowtail, plant a pawpaw tree, while the Giant Swallowtail will visit if you have Loquat or other citrus in your garden (which can survive most Cape Fear winters) 

Red Spotted Purple: The Red Spotted Purple is a fairly common butterfly that is easily mistaken for a Spicebush Swallowtail. This butterfly is black with teal edges and is common in forests and woodlands in our area. This species will use any tree in the cherry or willow family and is a frequent visitor to flower gardens. It is much smaller than the Spicebush Swallowtail. 

Red Spotted Purples closely mimics the Spicebush Swallowtail

Sulphurs: Sulphurs are yellow to orange butterflies that are most common from autumn through spring and are often flying around on warm winter days. Most sulphurs are small to mid-sized butterflies that breed on virtually any member of the pea or legume family, including your cultivated beans. They will use clover, vetch, wild indigo, and even wisteria or kudzu as host plants. The Cloudless Sulphur is very abundant during the winter months while other species of note include the Southern Dogface, Clouded Sulphur, and Orange Sulphur. The nonnative Cabbage White is also in the same family but likes members of the broccoli or cabbage family.

Southern Dogface

Monarch and Queen Butterflies: The Monarch Butterfly is one of the most iconic and recongizable butterflies in North America and is even known in other parts of the world. This butterfly is orange with black markings  and has caterpillars that are yellow, white and black. The Queen is less common and is all orange with black edges and has a slightly different caterpillar. Both butterflies depend on milkweeds for breeding but will use almost any flowering plant for nectar. Monarchs and Queens are most common from midsummer though the first frost (November or December in our area) and will occasionally emerge during warm winter days. Monarchs embark on long migrations and after several generations, they will move from New England or the Midwest to Mexico. 

Monarch Butterfly on Pitcher Plant

Viceroy: The Viceroy is a Monarch lookalike that is often found in woodlands and is told by its smaller size and slight difference in coloration. This butterfly is also toxic like its counterpart. Viceroys feed on willows and are somewhat uncommon and are tied to wetland forests and willow-alder thickets near water. They will visit flower gardens and are easily attracted by adding Weeping Willow, Black Willow, or Pussy Willow to your garden. 

Hairstreaks and Blues: Hairstreaks and Blues are a group of small butterflies that are most frequently encountered during the winter and early spring. These butterflies are often blue, purple, or even greyish with various markings. The Eastern Tailed Blue is one of our smallest butterflies at less than 2cm (1") in span, while the Grey Hairstreak is a little larger. Both species use clover as their host plants and are common in meadows, woodland openings and around lawns with such plants.  

Grey Hairstreak on Clover

Skippers: Skippers are a large group of butterflies that appear to be crossovers between moths and butterflies. These small butterflies hold their wings flat like moths, appear hairy, and look like miniature fighter jets when at rest. The fly quickly with jerky motions and are mistaken for moths. There are dozens of skipper species although the most common ones include the Silver Spotted and Long-Tailed Skippers which are mid-sized with distinctive markings. These butterflies use legumes including Kudzu and Wisteria as host plants and are common from spring through late autumn. The Grass Skippers are a group of tiny skippers that use native or nonnative grasses as host plants. These little butterflies are difficult to identify. The common garden species include the Fiery Skipper, Duskywing, Sachem, Least Skipper and Roadside Skipper which all feed on a variety of grasses including Bermuda Grass, Crabgrass, and Switchgrass. 

Duskywing Skipper

Long-Tailed Skipper

Red Admiral: The Red Admiral is a common butterfly seen from spring through autumn and is found in damp woodlands and wet meadowlands across our area. This species is black with red edges and is rather small. It feeds on False Nettle, Stinging Nettle and Wood Nettle and often visits flower gardens.  

Painted Lady: The Painted Lady is a cosmopolitan species of butterfly that likely has one of the longest migrations journeys of any insect. The European and North American populations travel thousands of kilometres each way and and what routes they take are still poorly known. This butterfly will use a wide range of plants including mallows, hollyhocks and other garden plants and can be found in open habitats. They are most common from August to October.

Gulf Fritillaries: The Gulf Fritillary is one of our most common butterflies and like Sulphurs can be seen in any season. This butterfly uses native Passionflowers as host plants and frequents flower gardens and meadows throughout the area. This butterfly is orange with black edges and has a long forewing. It is not as heavily marked as Monarch or Viceroy Butterflies. The caterpillars are bright orange with black spines and are unmistakable. The Great Spangled Fritillary is common during the spring and is yellowish with similar markings. This butterfly uses Woodland Violets and Johnny Jump-Ups as host plants and its caterpillars also have spines.

Gulf Fritillary 

Gulf Fritillary on Passionvine  

Mourning Cloak: The Mourning Cloak is a locally common butterfly of forest and woodlands and is most common in the spring and again in late autumn. This butterfly is black with yellow edges and blue markings. Mourning Cloaks are often seen flying high in forest canopies or low to the ground near trails, clearings, or watercourses. This butterfly uses willows, elms, and other trees as host plants. 

Moths 

Tiger Moth species

Moth Caterpillar

Sphinx Moths: The Sphinx Moths are a large group of moths that have fast wingbeats and hover like hummingbirds. These moths are often mistaken for hummingbirds or even bumblebees and come in a variety of colors. Two notable species are the Tomato and Tobacco Hornworm Moth which are a nuisance when their caterpillars eat cultivated tomato plants. The adults are quite beautiful and are nearly 15cm (6") in span making them larger than hummingbirds, chickadees, and even most warblers. Another noticeable group of Sphinx Moth are the diurnal Hummingbird and Snowberry Clearwing Moth which are yellow and black and resemble bumblebees. Both species are seen in gardens during the day. All of the Sphinx Moths have green caterpillars with spiny horns on the tail, and are often preyed upon by hornets, paper wasps, and songbirds, as well as being hosts for the Braconid Wasp (which results in caterpillars being eaten from the inside by their larvae). Plant azaleas, Coral Honeysuckle, Moonflower, Mourning Glories, and Salvias to attract Sphinx Moths. 

Tiger Moths: Tiger Moths are a large family of moths that include our most brightly colored species. These moths come in many shapes and sizes and are primarily found in forests and woodlands. They use various hardwood species and do not visit flower gardens. Look for these moths on tree trunks, stones, or on the ground as well as at porch lights. 

Giant Silkworm Moths: The Giant Silkworm Moths are the largest Lepidoptera species in our area with some species exceeding 17cm (7") in length and being misidentified as bats when they fly past stadium or street lights. This family includes the moths that are used to make silk for clothing and draperies. In the Cape Fear Region the most notable Silkworm species include the iconic Luna Moth, the giant Imperial and Cleopatra Moths, and the Hickory Horndevil Moth. The Luna Moth is greenish with a long tail, while the Horndevil, Imperial, and Cleopatra Moth are brownish but have striking patterns. They do not come to flower gardens but will readily come to porch lights and can be found in parking lots, near streetlamps,  or security lights. The caterpillars are equally giant and are usually found in hickories, oaks, maples, cherries, and other hardwood trees. They do produce silk as well. 

Webworms and Tent Moths: Webworms and Tent Moths are a group of moths that are known for making large silken nests in certain species of trees or shrubs. The Eastern Tent Moth is common from April to November and uses hickories, oaks, mulberries, and wild cherries as their host trees, while the Spring and Fall Webworm are common in their respective seasons and may also use garden plants as hosts. Both moths are nondescript. Webworms and Tent  Caterpillars are important food  for birds and appear to be the preferred diet of Carolina Chickadees, Yellow Billed Cuckoos, as well as Baltimore and Orchard Orioles. The silk itself is used by gnatcatchers, hummingbirds, and  chickadees to build nests. 

Other Moths: There are a few other moths that are notable in our region. The Flannel and Woolly Bear Moths produce caterpillars that are hairy and are often seen on the ground or on various plants. The former species has hairs that can produce a stinging sensation or cause rashes if handled. The Hag Moth has an odd looking caterpillar that looks like a starfish. The Grapevine Skeletonizer is a moth that breeds on members of the grape family such as Muscatine Grape, Virginia Creeper and such. While the caterpillar is unremarkable, the adults look like wasps and have long, narrow wings. There are countless other moths that can be found in our gardens, parks, and woodlands, so keep an eye out for unusual specimens when you are hiking or sitting on the porch at night.   

Sources and References 

1. Butterflies of the Carolinas Field Guide, by Jaret C. Daniels 
2. Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy