Caterpillars in the Garden

Caterpillars in the Garden

So far, I have identified the following butterfly caterpillars in the yard: Spicebush Swallowtails on Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Black Swallowtails on Rue (Ruta gaveolens), Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) Long-fruited Snakeroot (Sanicula trifoliata), and Bronze Fennel, Cabbage Whites on India Mustard and Collards, Orange Sulphur on White Clover, a Variegated Fritillary on a Common Blue Violet, Eastern Comma on Hops Vine, Red Admiral on False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), Monarchs on Common Milkweed and Bloodflower, Sachem on grass, and Hayhurst's Scallopwing on Common Lambsquarters. I have also found Green Cloverworm Moth on the Hop Vine (Humulus lupulus) and Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars on Common Milkweed. Cabbage White caterpillars overwintered on the Collards between 1999 and 2000.

Species of Caterpillar	Date Egg Laid	Date Caterpillar Hatched	Date Chrysalis Formed	Date Adult Butterfly Emerged	Total Days	Host Plant
Variegated Fritillary	6/3/00	6/9/00	6/23/00	6/28/00	25	Common Blue Violet
Sachem	8/19/00	8/26/00	9/17/00	10/7/00	50	Grass
Monarch	8/20/00	8/26/00				Common Milkweed
Green Cloverworm Moth	?	?	7/5/00	7/14/00	?
Eastern Comma	4/8/01	?	4/28/01	5/5/01	28	Hops Vine
Black Swallowtail (male)			9/9/00	6/23/01	More than 287	Parsley
Orange Sulphur	4/29/01	5/3/01	5/19/01	5/29/01	30	White Clover
Hayhurst's Scallopwing			7/4/01	7/15/01		Common Lambsquarters
Hayhurst's Scallopwing			7/5/01	7/16/01		Common Lambsquarters
Tobacco Hornworm			7/17/01 (in soil)	8/10/01		Tomato
Black Swallowtails (14) (7 male, 6 female, and one with wings that did not inflate)			10/7/01 through 10/11/01	11/18/01 through 12/15/01		Bronze Fennel
Orange Sulphur	4/16	4/20	Dried up			White Clover
Black Swallowtail (2 females)			5/24/02	6/4 and 6/5		Bronze Fennel
Orange Sulphur	5/25/02		6/17/02	6/24/02	31	White Clover
Spicebush Swallowtail			7/2/02	7/17/02		Spicebush
Hayhurst's Scallopwing			8/12/02	8/21/02		Common Lambsquarters
Spicebush Swallowtail			9/17/02	5/8/03		Spicebush
Red Admiral (two)	5/11/03	5/24/03	6/9/03	6/17/03	38	False Nettle
Eastern Comma	6/25/03	6/29/03	7/12/03	7/20/03		Egg laid on Hop Vine, caterpillar moved to False Nettle.
Red Admiral			8/4/03	8/13/03		False Nettle
Monarch			9/2/03	9/12/03		Bloodflower and Common Milkweed
Monarch			9/3/03	9/13/03		Bloodflower and Common Milkweed
Spicebush Swallowtail	8/16/03	8/21/03				Spicebush
Monarch			9/6/03	916/03		Bloodflower and Common Milkweed
Monarch			9/6/03	9/17/03		Bloodflower and Common Milkweed
Monarch			9/7/03	9/18/03		Bloodflower and Common Milkweed
Spicebush Swallowtail	8/16/03	8/21/03	9/20/03			Spicebush
Black Swallowtail			9/9/03	9/21/03		Rue
Black Swallowtail			9/10/03	9/27/03		Long-fruited Snakeroot (Sanicula trifoliata)

Eggs

Eastern Comma: egg is on underside of leaf, color: clear/silver, some eggs laid on top of others, ridges from top to bottom,

Hayhurst's Scallopwing: egg usually laid on top of leaf, but many are laid on the bottom. One to two eggs per leaf. Color: light brown or light pink. Caterpillars do not eat the egg. During the day, the caterpillars fold over part of the leaf and stay inside for protection. f

Orange Sulphur: egg is on top of leaf,

Red Admiral: Egg is on top of leaf of False Nettle, 1-2 per leaf, color: somewhat lighter green than leaf color, under microscope: round with ridges from bottom to top and bluish green; very small and difficult to see with naked eye. Young caterpillars go to where the leaves are the smallest and form a protective "house" in a leaf. They don't appear to eat their own eggs.

Sachem: Color: Blue Green

Spicebush Swallowtail: egg on underside of leaf, color: white

Butterfly Gardening in Silver Spring, Maryland