Plants are a food source for many insects and animals; some plants play host to caterpillars whereas other plants provide sustenance for butterflies. Certain plants have evolved to make themselves toxic to caterpillars in order to avoid being eaten. Most species of caterpillars and butterflies only populate specific plant families (although butterflies are not as particular). You can learn to identify different caterpillars and butterflies by the type of plant on which you find them.
The Difference Between a Host Plant and Butterfly Plant for Food
Host plants are the types of plants that butterflies choose to populate with their larvae; these are the plants which you will finding caterpillars munching their way through on their way to adulthood. Once a caterpillar morphs into a butterfly, it will populate various types of plants for food; most of the plants that butterflies like to eat (or drink) are nectar plants. Butterflies are less particular about plant species than caterpillars.
How Plants Defend Themselves from Caterpillars
Caterpillars are often seen as a pest and a nuisance by gardeners and those in the agriculture industry, particularly if they are munching their way through your flowers or crop plants grown for food. Plants have evolved certain mechanisms, such as chemical toxins and physical attributes, to defend themselves against munching predators; however, some species of caterpillars have also evolved to be able to digest such toxins.
Types of Plants That Caterpillars Eat
There are many different species of caterpillars; caterpillars will usually stick to plants in a specific plant family. A female butterfly will only lay her eggs on a host plant that can act as a food source for the emerging caterpillar, otherwise the caterpillar will die. Examples of plants that caterpillars eat include:
- black swallowtail – plants in the Apiaceae plant family such as carrot, fennel and dill
- monarch – plants in the Asclepias plant family such as milkweed
- cabbage white – plants in the Brassicaceae plant family such as broccoli and cabbage
- painted lady – plants in the Asteraceae plant family such as sunflower and thistle.
Types of Plants That Butterflies Eat
Butterflies are attracted to nectar flowers for food and have a much wider taste than caterpillars; they actually “drink” the plant as oppose to eating the leaves of plants. Butterflies may vary their diet, depending on the region that they populate but some examples of plants that butterflies generally like are:
- eastern tiger swallowtail – butterfly bush, bloodflower, dogbane
- spicebush – delphinium, oriental lilies, wild bergamot
- clouded sulphur – common dandelion, marigold, Brazilian verbena
- swallowtail – heliotrope, lantana, oregano, petunia.
(source: The Butterfly Site)
Plants, Caterpillars and Butterflies
Plants are a life source to growing caterpillars just as plants are a life source to butterflies, albeit in different ways; butterflies, like some species of birds, help to pollinate plants too. The life cycle of plants, caterpillars and butterflies has closely evolved to ensure the continuation of various plant and animal species.
References:
- Amateur Entomologists' Society website, Rearing Caterpillars, accessed July 19, 2011
- The Butterfly Site website, Butterfly Gardening, accessed July 19, 2011
- University of Nebraska Lincoln website, Rearing Butterflies and Moths, accessed July 19, 2011
Sharon Falsetto - Sharon Falsetto is a business owner, certified clinical aromatherapist & professional writer with a life-long interest in plants.
