American Lady Butterfly ~ Vanessa virginiensis
Don't you love it when a plan comes together?
Adding butterfly host plants to your landscape sometimes doesn't yield instant outcomes. But this week, planning and patience paid off.
A very tattered American Lady butterfly was flying around the yard checking out the plants in our prairie area. Migrating from the south she arrived on last legs ready to start the next generation.
She found two host plants, Field Pussytoes (
Antennaria neglecta) and Pearly Everlasting (
Anaphalis margaritacea) and laid several eggs on each.
I'll be watching for signs of the spiny caterpillars who weave themselves into a feeding cocoon by tying up the host plant foliage around them. They will make several of these webbed feeding stations on each plant.
Read an
earlier post about the host plant Pearly Everlasting.
Also an
earlier post about the host plant Field Pussytoes.
I am going to see about planting one of these plants as I have seen the butterflies here...Michelle
ReplyDeleteI hope you can find some host plants for sale in NY
DeleteExciting news- congratulations! I am glad to see attention to host plants, but I expected that from you!
ReplyDeleteThanks David, it is exciting. I'm sure they've been here before but it's the first observation I've made.
DeleteMore plants to add! These are my niece's favorite butterfly. I have to watch who visits my garden very closely this year. How great for you to witness this lady's legacy.
ReplyDeleteI think the Pearly Everlasting would do well for you, same place as you're relocating the prairie smoke.
DeleteI hope to see these butterflies this year...I have pearly but need to also add the pussytoes in my white garden...
ReplyDeleteGreat idea Donna, pussytoes would be great for early season white in the white garden.
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