Do you have native plants as larval hosts? What you say? Of course…Look, there is my Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) ready for the Sulphur Butterflies and over there…Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) just waiting for the Gulf Fritillaries to lay their eggs. Then there is the Water Cowbane (Oxypolis filiformis) standing tall so the Black Swallowtail butterflies can find them. I could go on, but you get the idea.
This will be more of a pictorial about the unsung heroes of the garden. Moth Caterpillars! Butterflies are lovely dotting the landscape with color as they flutter about, but they aren’t the only ones who start out as caterpillars. Moth caterpillars play a big part in feeding birds and reptiles. Some of the caterpillars tend to be quite showy. Many are generalists using several different larval host plants. I’m lucky because this crew mostly chooses shrubs or wildflowers which don’t show the damage where they feed. Too often moth caterpillars are removed or sprayed with pesticides because they don’t turn into gorgeous winged beauties (although the Polyphemus Moth would give any butterfly a run for the money). Since I let them be, I now have a healthy contingent of the upper level members of the food chain to keep them in check. Although this list is hardly exhaustive, here are some of the plants on my property and the moth caterpillars they support:
Banded Sphinx Moth Caterpillar – Eumorpha fasciatus uses Winged Primrosewillow (Ludwigia alata):
Prominent caterpillar – Schizura unicornis shown on Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera):
IO Moth stinging caterpillars – Automeris io munching Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) Note that the majority were gone the next day and a fat anole was lounging on the truck of the tree.
Emerald Moth – Synchlora spp. decorates itself as it dines on Spanish Needles (Bidens Alba) :
Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) also feeds the Polyphemus Moth – Antheraea polyphemus
Dog Fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) or Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) provides this Salt Marsh caterpillar -Estigmene acrea with plenty of sustenance:
Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) popular with the Southern flannel moth caterpillar – Megalopyge opercularis:
Owlet Moth (Noctuidae) caterpillar (species unknown) rests on Spanish Needles (Bidens Alba)
Rabbitbells (Crotalaria rotundifolia) seed pods feed the Bella Moth – Utetheisa ornatrix
And the ever popular Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) also feeds this Slug Caterpillar (species unknown):
So, if you want to feed the birds and encourage frogs, toads and lizards, add some of these lovely Florida Native Plants to your garden (provided they are native and appropriate to your location). They’ll attract the insects that feed the next in line critters.
© 2011 – 2012, Loret T. Setters. All rights reserved. This article is the property of Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Loret T. Setters
Loret how beautiful they are. I am just beginning to learn more about the caterpillars I see in the yard. Of course so many more have come because of the natives and host plants I have realized I planted…
Donna@ Gardens Eye View recently posted..Support
Donna, if you plant them they will come!
We were doing the landscaping for the local school this past month and while one of the girls was getting the passionvine into the ground, a gulf frit was fluttering around laying eggs on it while she was putting the dirt back around the roots.
Amazing those native plants!
Loret recently posted..The Sulphur Butterfly Emerged Already!
Ah yes the moths. Many are night flying so don’t get a lot of attention.Some , when looked at up close are very beautiful with wonderful patterns and what looks like manes and cloaks of fur.
You have given us yet another reason native plants are an essential part of the wildlife garden. A diverse population of native plants makes for a diverse population of insects.
oh yes Gloria, you are so right about the fuzzy looks…..in my book somewhat more “chic” then the smooth butterfly counterparts. Imagine that up until 2007 I never much looked for a moth, let alone a caterpillar…..Closeups with the camera introduced me to a fascination with the insect world….they all seem to have certain personalities and special attributes.
What a wonderful post Loret! Intriguing little critters! Now I want to go find photos of what they become. You just have to love the Salt Marsh Caterpillar. Thank you for the education.
Carol Duke recently posted..Summer Seems To Flutter By Not Quite Letting Go
Thanks Carol,
I hate to box them up to see how they turn out, but, my thirst for finding out how they look as adults often causes me to make them captives for their time in the cocoons so I can photograph them and get positive id’s on the adults. I do plan on a slideshow to introduce kids to the transformations. Our chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society has partnered with many of the schools to teach the kids the importance of natives and to not be afraid of “bugs” in the garden. Based on our outreach programs with the living insect displays, the kids get onboard quickly when they can see them up so close
I am so glad I have Wax Myrtle – I need to start looking to see if I have caterpillars on it too. I was so thrilled the other day – after 3 years, I finally found a spicebush swallowtail caterpillar on my spicebush!! There were also 3 saddleback caterpillars on it …! I was careful to steer clear of those guys in my inspection. And I have not seen the Gulf Fritillaries yet, but my passionvine is looking very “eaten”.
Ellen recently posted..Lobelia – Jewel of the Late Summer Garden
Ellen,
Wax Myrtle is my biggest producer of moth cats. And it is such a wonderful plant that the damage NEVER shows….so prolific are the leaves. This year My W.M. are producing a very abundant crop of berries so the birds will be feasting once the winter sets in….in the meantime, they are enjoying those cats!
Loret recently posted..The Sulphur Butterfly Emerged Already!
Great article, Loret! So often the moths are forgotten because we tend to focus on the beautiful day flying butterflies. I’ve watched my Carolina Wrens bring moth caterpillars back to their chicks throughout the days. You’re right they are an amazing food source for birds and other critters, and we’d really miss them if we didn’t have such a wide variety of native plants in our gardens.
Carole Sevilla Brown recently posted..Lets Just Eat the Invasive Plants
Thanks Carole!
Tell those Wrens to quit picking on my moths
My friends laugh because I always take the insect’s side in the survival of the fittest. They refer to me as …oh, Loret? she’s the “bug” person!
I’m so glad that my eyes were opened by learning about native plants. How much I missed over the “before I knew” years.
Could a photo book moth larvae and their host plants be your next book, Loret? It might help gardeners keep from squishing the ones that do no great harm to the landscape or ag. crops.
Gee Ruth, I never really thought about it. I will admit that for the most part the moth caterpillars are a lot easier for me to find then a lot of the butterfly species in my garden (still trying to find a white peacock caterpillar and yet there are literally DOZENS of adults floating around). I’ve completely given up on finding the skipper cats.
Maybe this is why I kinda am partial to moth caterpillars…they seem to like to pose! A pictorial might not be a bad idea!
Loret recently posted..The Sulphur Butterfly Emerged Already!
Serendipity as I have just been noticing how many moths I have..in this gray weather & shady yard ..they are flying in the day, along w/ vampire bats..
Seriously.. I just ordered a moth ID book & have also been using my caterpillar ID book.. Really super post Loret..& great photo gallery of jeepers creepers!