Ontario Butterfly Gardening

Larvae Species
Larval Food Plant
Red Admiral,
Vanessa atalanta 		Stinging nettle (Urtica spp.), Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis)
White Admiral,
Limenitis arthemis 		Birch (Betula spp.), willow (Salix spp.), poplar (Populus spp.), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)

Hawthorn
photo: CMN
Birch
photo: EM
Willow
photo: RM

Spring Azure,
Celastrina ladon 		Lupins (Lupinus spp.), vetches (Vicia spp.), cherry (Prunus spp.), blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), and early blooming viburnums (Viburnum spp.)

Blueberry
photo: RM
Cherry
photo: JBM
Cherry
photo: NF

Eyed Brown,
Satyrodes eurydice 		Sedges (Carex lacustris, C. atherodes, C. rostrata)
Great Spangled Fritillary,
Speyeria cybele 		Violets (Viola spp.)
Banded Hairstreak,
Satyrium calanus 		Oaks (Quercus spp.), walnuts (particularly Butternut, Juglans cinerea), hickory
Monarch,
Danaus plexippus
Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)
Milkweed
photo: CMN
Mourning Cloak,
Nymphalis antiopa 		Willow (Salix spp.), meadowsweets (Spiraea spp.), elm (Ulmus spp.), poplar (Populus spp.), and hackberry (Celtis spp.)

Elm
photo: JBM
Elm
photo: JBM
Willow
photo: RM

Painted Lady,
Vanessa cardui 		Asteraceae: thistles (Cirsium and Carduus spp.), knapweed (Centaurea spp.), burdocks (Arctium spp.), sunflowers (Helianthus spp.), and wormwood (Artemisia spp.)

Sunflowers
photo: JB
Sunflowers
photo: NL

 
American Lady,
Vanessa virginiensis 		Asteraceae: Pearly Everlasting, pussytoes, cudweeds (Gnaphalium, Antennaria, and Anaphalis spp.)
Question Mark,
Polygonia interrogationis 		Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), elm (Ulmus spp.), Hops (Humulus lupulus), hackberry (Celtis spp.)
European Skipper,
Thymelicus lineola 		Timothy Grass (Phleum pratense), Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), and Couch Grass (Agropyron repens)
Peck's Skipper,
Polites peckius 		Grasses
Least Skipper,
Ancyloxypha numitor 		Blue grass (Poa spp.), Canary Reed Grass (Phalaris arundinacea)
Orange Sulphur,
Colias eurytheme 		Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), clovers (Trifolium spp.)

Clovers
photo: NF
Black Swallowtail,
Papilio polyxenes 		Parsley family: wild Carrot (Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus carota), cultivated Carrot, Parsley, Dill, Celery, and Rue

Wild Carrot
photo: NF
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail ,
Papilio canadensis 		Poplar (Populus spp.), willow (Salix spp.), ash (Fraxinus spp.), and Cherry (Prunus spp)
Compton's Tortoiseshell,
Nymphalis vaualbum 		Birches (Betula spp.), willows (Salix spp.), poplar (Populus spp.)

Birch
photo: EM
Willow
photo: RM

Viceroy,
Limenitis archippus 		Willows (Salix spp.), poplars (Populus spp.), apples (Malus spp.), Cherry (Prunus spp.)

Cherry
photo: NF
Cherry
photo: NC
Cherry
photo: JBM

Cabbage White,
Pieris rapae 		Mustards, brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli), nasturtiums
Arctic Skipper,
Carterocephalus palaemon 		Grasses
Common Wood Nymph,
Cercyonis pegala 		Wild oats (Avena fatua), Purpletop Grass (Tridens flavus), bluestem (Andropogon spp.)
Juvenal's Duskywing,
Erynnis juvenalis 		Oak (Quercus spp.)
Mustard White,
Pieris oleracea 		Rock cress (Arabis spp.), toothworth (Dentaria spp.)
Bronze Copper,
Lycaena hyllus 		Curled Dock (Rumex crispus), Water Dock (R. orbiculatus), and knotweed (Polygonum spp.)
Brown Elfin,
Callophrys augustinus 		Ericaceae: blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), and Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum)

Blueberries
photo: CMN
Blueberries
photo: NC
Blueberries
photo: RM

Silvery Blue,
Glaucospyche lygdamus 		Fabaceae: Cow Vetch (Vicia cracca), White Sweet Clover (Melilotus alba), and Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Cow Vetch
photo: JBM
Meadow Fritillary,
Boloria bellona 		Violets (Viola spp.)
Common Ringlet ,
Coenonympha tullia 		Grasses: Blue Grass (Poa pratensis), and needlegrass (Stipa spp.)
Nectar Sources: For more suggestions please visit The Fletcher Wildlife Gardens Butterfly Gardening Info Sheet:
http://www.achilles.net/~ofnc/htbutter.htm

(A = annual; P = perennial; Sh = shrub)
Anethum graveolens - dill (A)
Arabis (P)
Asclepias incarnata - swamp milkweed (P)
Asclepias tuberosa - butterfly weed (P)
Aster spp. (P)
Buddleia - butterfly bush (Sh)
Daucus carota - Queen Anne's Lace (P)
Echinacea - coneflower (P)
Eupatorium spp. - Boneset, Joe Pye weed (P)
Euphorbia variegata - Snow-on-the-mountain (A)
Foeniculum vulgare - fennel (A)
Hesperis matronalis - dame's/sweet rocket (P)
Iberis umbellata - candytuft (A)
Lantana (A)
Petroselinum crispum - parsley (P)
Scabiosa caucasica - pincushion flower (P)
Sedum spectabile (P)
Solidago spp. - goldenrods (P)
Verbena bonariensis (A)

*Source: Butterflies of Canada & FWG info sheet: Gardening for butterflies

More info in the gallery