Caterpillars and Their Butterflies

This gallery pairs photos of some common caterpillars on their respective host plants with photos of the adult butterfly. Without providing native host plants, we would not be able to support reproducing populations of these lovely creatures. (All photos taken by Carolyn onsite at Flying Trillium Gardens and Preserve. )
This Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar is consuming the host plant for which it was named. Those false eye spots can fool birds into thinking it's a snake.
This is an early instar Spicebush Caterpillar. It does not yet show the prominent eye spots. Caterpillars grow in stages called 'instars" before maturing to the full size from which they are able to begin metamorphosis.
Here is the adult Spicebush Swallowtail nectaring on butterfly milkweed.
An American Lady butterfly laid her eggs on these pussytoes, one of just a few host plants, all members of the aster family.
This American Lady caterpillar shows one of many possible variations in color. These caterpillars were found on pearly everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea.
This American Lady butterfly is taking nectar from wild bergamot, Monarda fistulosa.
Tall white aster, Doellingeria umbellata, is the sole host plant for the Harris' checkerspot caterpillar.
The lovely adult Harris' Checkerspot rests here on a birch seedling.
The backside of the wings of the Harris' Checkerspot butterfly are even more colorful.
It was quite a surprise to see this Giant Swallowtail caterpillar on one of our hoptrees, Ptelea trifoliata. It will be interesting to see if Giant Swallowtails are able to establish a reproducing population in our region.
Giant Swallowtails have been seen more and more frequently in our region, perhaps a sign of climate change.
This Giant Swallowtail enjoys our fields of goldenrod. Unlike most swallowtails, the body is white instead of black.
The Viceroy caterpillar is seen here on an aspen seedling, one of its more common host plants.
The adult Viceroy impersonates the Monarch butterfly, fooling predators into thinking it is poisonous like the Monarch.
A simple way to tell the difference between a Viceroy and a Monarch is to look for an extra black line running across the hind wings.
Here the Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillar dines on the host plant for which it is named.
Seen from above, the lower blue-gray wings of the Pipevine Swallowtail, rare in these parts, makes an almost ghostly appearance.
This striking Pipevine Swallowtail is taking nectar from Joe pye's flower.
A Question Mark caterpillar (looking positively dangerous with all those barbed spikes), shown here consuming its host plant, American elm.
In order to identify the Question Mark butterfly, look for the white punctuation mark on the underside of the wings. If there is a white curve with no dots, it could be a Comma.
The beautiful Question Mark butterfly deposits her eggs on American elm or hackberry, and sometimes nettles.
The egg from which this caterpillar hatched was deposited on Ptelea trifoliata, hoptree, one of many host plants used by Tiger Swallowtails.
This special Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is the product either of a natural mutation or natural hybridization. We found it last summer (2023) in our garden. Too bad we didn't get to see what the caterpillar looked like!
One of our most common butterflies, Tiger Swallowtails are important pollinators for flame azaleas.
This White Admiral is gathering nectar from a basswood tree.
This tiny saddle-backed Red-Spotted Purple caterpillar is consuming young black cherry leaves, a favorite host plant.
White admirals and red-spotted purple butterflies are now considered to be color variations of the same species.
Red-Spotted Purple adult taking nectar from tall white asters.

Flying Trillium Gardens & Preserve is located in the Sullivan County area of the Catskills

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