Checklist of Butterflies Occurring in Monmouth County
Related to Major Food Plants of Their Caterpillars
-- When Known.

Go to Fund for Roosevelt Home Page
Go to Fund for Roosevelt Fauna Page
Go to Table of Butterflies with at Least One Major Food Plant Recorded from Roosevelt
Go to Table of Butterflies for Which no Major Food Plant is Recorded from Roosevelt

 

These tables include the species that have been recorded from Monmouth County according to Jeffrey Glassberg's Butterflies Through Binoculars (Oxford Univ. Press, New York, 1993) and Butterflies of New Jersey by Michael Gochfeld and Joanna Burger (Rutgers Univ. Press, New Brunswick, 1997) supplemented by local observations and data on the USGS, Dallas County Lepitopterist's Society, and other websites. The tables may be used as simple checklists or as a means of selecting plants to encourage an increase in diversity of butterflies in Roosevelt.

A major food plant (sometimes there are more than one) is a plant that a female butterfly seeks out on which to lay her eggs. Caterpillars hatching from these eggs will use the plant as food. The plant may confer some advantage to the caterpillars. For example, the plant may contain a poison that the caterpillars can store, making them (and the adult they will become) very unpleasant to possible predators.

The first table includes those species found in town or for which at least one major food plant is recorded from the Borough of Roosevelt. The second table includes those species not found in town and for which no major food plant has been recorded from town.

The two columns headed by a "?" include a "Y" if the butterfly or plant has been recently recorded in Roosevelt, an "-" if the plant has not recently been recorded in Roosevelt, and an "x" if the butterfly species named on that line apparently lacks the major food plant listed on the line.

Since very few butterflies are marked as recently recorded, it should be a lot of fun expanding the list in future years.

Caution: Before introducing a major food plant, check to see if it is a native plant in our area or, if it is not, that it is a cultivated plant that is known not to spread from cultivation.

Table 1. Butterflies known from Roosevelt or for which at least one major food plant is known to occur in Roosevelt.

 

Butterfly Major Food Plant
Common Name Scientific Name ? Common Name Scientific Name ?
Acadian Hairstreak Satyrium acadica   Willows Salix spp. Y
American Copper Lycaena phlaeas Y Docks includ. Sheep Sorrel Rumex spp.
(includ. R. acetosella)		 Y
American Lady Vanessa virginiensis

Y

 Composites Compositae Y
American Snout Libytheana carinenta   Hackberry Celtis spp. Y
Aphrodite Fritillary Speyeria aphrodite   Violets Viola spp. Y
Appalachian Brown Satyrodes appalachia   Sedges Carex spp. Y
Arogos Skipper Atrytone arogos   Bluestem Grasses Andropogon spp. Y
Baltimore Euphydryas phaeton   Plantain, English Plantago lanceolata Y
Turtlehead Chelone glabra -
Banded Hairstreak Satyrium calanus   Hickories Carya spp. Y
Oaks Quercus spp. Y
Black Dash Euphys conspicua   Sedges Carex spp. Y
Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes Y Carrot, Parsley etc. spp. of Apiaceae Y
Broad-winged Skipper Poanes viator   Grasses Phragmites communis Y
Bronze Copper Lycaena hyllus   Docks includ. Sheep Sorrel Rumex spp.
(includ. R. acetosella)		 Y
Brown Elfin Callophrys augustinus   Blueberry Vaccinium sp. Y
Cabbage White Pieris rapae  Y Crucifers (Peppergrass) Lepidium virginicum Y
Checkered White Pontia protodice   Crucifers (esp. Peppergrass) Lepidium spp.
(esp. L. virginicum) 		Y
Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice   White Clover Trifolium repens Y
Cobweb Skipper Hesperia metea Y Bluestem Grasses Andropogon spp. Y
Columbine Duskywing Erynnis lucilius   Columbine Aquilegia spp. Y
Common Buckeye Junonia coenia

Y

 Composites: Agalinis Agalinis spp. Y
Plantain Plantago spp. Y
Toadflax Linaria spp. Y
Common Checkered Skipper Pyrgus communis Y Mallows spp. of Malvaceae Y
Ringlet Coenonympha tullia   Plantain, English Plantago lanceolata Y
Common Sootywing Pholisora catullus Y Lamb's Quarters Chenopodium album Y
Common Wood Nymph Cercyonis pegala   Plantain, English Plantago lanceolata Y
Coral Hairstreak Satyrium titus   Wild Cherries Prunus spp. Y
Crossline Skipper Polites origenes   Grasses: Purpletop Tridens flavus Y
Delaware Skipper Atrytone logan   Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Dion Skipper Euphyes dion   Sedges Carex spp. Y
Dreamy Duskywing Erynnis icelus Y Willows Salix spp. Y
Poplars and Aspens Populus spp. Y
Birches Betula spp. Y
Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia Y
Dun Skipper Euphyes vestris   Sedges Carex spp. Y
Eastern Comma Polygonia comma   Elms spp. of Ulmaceae Y
Nettles Urtica spp. -
Eastern Pine Elfin Callophrys niphon   Pitch Pine Pinus rigida Y
White Pine Pinus strobus Y
Eastern Tailed Blue Everes comyntas Y clover, vetch, other legumes spp. of Fabaceae Y
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus Y Spicebush Lindera benzoin Y
Wild Cherries Prunus spp. Y
Yellow (Tulip) Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera Y
European Skipper Thymelicus lineola   Grasses: Timothy Phleum pratense Y
Eyed Brown Satyrodes eurydice   Sedges Carex spp. Y
Fiery Skipper Hylephilus phyleus   Grasses: Bermuda Grass ? Y
Great Spangled Fritillary Speyeria cybele Y Violets Viola spp. Y
Hackberry Emperor Asterocampa celtis   Hackberry Celtis spp. Y
Harvester Feniseca tarquinius   Alder or Birch, Wooly Aphids on Alnus spp., Betula spp. Y
Hayhurst's Scallopwing Staphylus hayhurstii   Lamb's Quarters Chenopodium album Y
Hickory Hairstreak Satyrium cartaevorum   Hickories Carya spp. Y
Hoary Edge Achalarus lyciades   Tick Trefoils Desmodium spp. Y
Hobomok Skipper Poanes hobomok Y Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Indian Skipper Hesperea sassacus   Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Juvenal's Duskywing Erynnis juvenalis Y Oaks Quercus spp. Y
Least Skipper Ancyloxypha numitor Y Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Leonard's Skipper Hesperia leonardus   Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Little Glassy Wing Pompeius verna   Grasses: Purpletop Tridens flavus Y
Little Wood Satyr Megisto cymela   Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Long Dash Polites mystic   Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus   Legumes spp. of Fabaceae Y
Meadow Fritillary Boloria bellona   Violets Viola spp. Y
Monarch Danaus plexippus Y Milkweed Asclepias spp. Y
Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa Y Birch Betula spp. Y
Williows Salix spp. Y
Mulberry Wing Poanes massasoit   Sedges Carex spp. Y
Northern Azure Celastrina sp. Y Blueberries Vaccinium spp. Y
Wild Cherries Prunus spp. Y
Northern Broken Dash Wallengrenia egeremet   Grasses Panicum spp. Y
Northern Cloudywing Thorybes pyllades   Legumes spp. of Fabaceae Y
Northern Crescent Phyciodes selenis   Composites: Asters Aster spp. Y
Northern Pearly Eye Enolia anthedon   Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Olive Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus   Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana Y
Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme Y Legumes: Alfalfa et al. Medicago sativa &
other spp. of Fabaceae 		Y
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui Y Thistles Cirsium spp. Y
Hollyhocks Althaea rosea Y
Mallows Malva spp. -
Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos Y Composites: Asters Aster spp. Y
Peck's Skipper Polites peckius Y Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Questionmark Polygonia interrogationis Y Elms Ulmus spp. Y
Hackberry Celtis spp. Y
Nettles Urtica spp. -
False Nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Y
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta Y Nettles Urtica spp. -
False Nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Y
Hops Humulus lupulus -
Pellitory Parietarria pennsylvanica -
Red-banded Hairstreak Calycopis cecrops   Shining Sumac Rhus copallina Y
Red-spotted Purple Limenitis arthemis astyanax   Wild Cherries Prunus spp.
(includ. P. serotina) 		Y
Regal Fritillary Speyeria idalia   Violets Viola spp. Y
Sachem Atalopedes campestris Y Grasses: Bermuda Grass,
Crabgrass 		e.g., Digitaria sanguinalis Y
Silver-bordered Fritillary Boloria selena   Violets Viola spp. Y
Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus Y Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia Y
Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus   Vetch Vicia spp. Y
Silvery Checkerspot Chlosyne nycteis Y Sunflowers Helianthus spp. &
other spp. of Compositae 		Y
Southern Cloudywing Thorybes bathyllus   Legumes spp. of Fabaceae Y
Southern Hairstreak Satyrium favonium   Oaks Quercus spp. Y
Spicebush Swallowtail Papilio troilus Y Sassafras Sassafras albida Y
Spicebush Lindera benzoin Y
Striped Hairstreak Satyrium liparops   Blueberries Vaccinium spp. Y
Wild Cherries Prunus spp. Y
Tawny Emperor Asterocampa clyton   Hackberry Celtis spp. Y
Tawny-edged Skipper Polites themistocles Y Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
Two-spotted Skipper Euphys bimacula   Sedges Carex spp. Y
Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia   Passion Flowers Passiflora spp. -
Violets Viola spp. Y
Viceroy Limenitis archippus   Willows (small, shrubby) Salix spp. (small & shrubby) Y
Whirlabout Polites vibex   Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y
White Admiral Limenites arthemis arthemis   Aspens and Poplars Populus spp. Y
Birch Betula spp. Y
Zabulon Skipper Poanes zabulon Y Grasses spp. of Poaceae Y

 

Table 2. Butterflies not known to occur in Roosevelt and for which all major food plants are not known to occur in Roosevelt.
Butterfly Major Food Plant
Common Name Scientific Name ? Common Name Scientific Name ?
Appalachian Azure Celastrina neglectamajor x Black Cohosh Cimicifuga racemosa -
Bog Copper Lycaena epixanthe x Cranberries Vaccinium macrocarpum -
Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae x Sennas Cassia spp. -
Edwards' Hairstreak Satyrium edwardsii x Scrub Oak and other small oaks Quercus ilicifolia, etc. -
Falcate Orangetip Anthocharis midea x Crucifers (Arabis) Arabis spp. -
Frosted Elfin Callophrys irus x Lupine Lupinus perennis -
x Wild Indigo Baptisia spp. -
Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes x Hop Tree Ptelia trifoliata -
x Prickly Ash? Xanthoxylum americanum -
Gray Comma Polygonia progne x Currants Ribes -
Harris Checkerspot Chlosyne harrisii x Composites: Flat-topped White Aster Aster umbellatus -
Henry's Elfin Callophrys henrici x European Buckthorn Rhamnus frangula -
Hoary Elfin Callophrys polios x Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi -
x Trailing Arbutus Epigaea repens -
Karner Blue Lycaeides melissa x Lupines Lupinus spp. -
Little Yellow Eurema lisa x Sennas Cassia spp. -
Mottled Duskywing Erynnis martialis x New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus -
Northern Metalmark Calephelis borealis x Round-leaved Ragwort Senecio obovatus -
Persius Duskywing Erynnis persius x Lupines Lupinus spp. -
Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor x Pipevine Aristolochia spp. (includ.
A. durior, A. serpentaria) 		-
Sleepy Duskywing Erynnis brizo x Scrub Oak and other small oaks Quercus ilicifolia, etc. -
Sleepy Orange Eurema nicippe x Sennas Cassia spp. -
Small Tortoiseshell Nymphalis urticae x Nettles Urtica spp. -
Swarthy Skipper Nastra lherminier x Grasses: Little Bluestem Schizachyrium (=Andropogon) scoparius -
West Virginia White Pieris virginiensis x Toothworts Dentaria diphylla & D. lancinata -
Wild Indigo Duskywing Erynnis baptisiae x Wild Indigo Baptisia spp. -

 

Last change 8 April 2003.
This page is maintained for the
Borough of Roosevelt Environmental Commission
by R. E. Tulloss.