A Book of Butterflies - Andrew Kliss Photography

Photos of the more common Southern California
butterflies, their caterpillars, chrysalides, and the host
plants these caterpillars feed on.
by Andrew Kliss
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………… PAGE 4
BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE………………………………………………………………………………….…………………….PAGE 5
MONARCH CATERPILLAR TURNING INTO CHRYSALIS……………………………………………...…………………...PAGE 6
BIZARRE WORLD OF CATERPILLARS………………………...……………………………………. PAGES 7–20
HOST PLANTS VS. NECTAR PLANTS…………………………………………...…….…………………...PAGE 21
SOME COMMON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUTTERFLIES…...…………………………............PAGES 22-42
A FINAL WORD………………………………………………………………………………………………….PAGE 43
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here is something marvelous and magical about the miracle of change that happens when a caterpillar transforms itself
from a rather humble — and many would say ugly — crawling, wormlike individual, into a spectacularly colored flying array
of fluttering charm. To merely label a butterfly pleasant to gaze upon would be a shameful affront to the sublime, exquisite
elegance endowed to it by One infinitely greater than ourselves, and would beg the question then of whether its beauty is
subjective or objective.
The metamorphosis of a caterpillar into an adult butterfly takes place within a chrysalis created from a specialized membrane
located beneath its outer skin, the outer skin being shed as transformation takes place from larva to chrysalis. It
completely encompasses the creature in a sealed vessel where change can proceed without influences and distractions from
the world outside. Once settled in, the caterpillar produces enzymes which completely break down its body into an amorphous
soup, ready to be reconstructed into, and emerge as something so beautiful as a butterfly.
“Light butterfly
Dancing through the air
Morning dreams”
— butterfly haiku author unknown —
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BUTTERFLY LARVAE RIVAL THEIR ADULTS
NOT IN BEAUTY, BUT IN THE BIZARRE
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Host Plants vs. Nectar Plants
In a butterfly’s life there are host plants, and then there are nectar plants.
A host plant:

The only plants that various butterfly species will lay their eggs upon for their larvae to feed on.

Some host plants serve double duty as both host and nectar plants. A prime example is the Monarch caterpillar that feeds
exclusively on milkweed plant species, and a few closely related genera. Milkweeds are also very good suppliers of nectar that
feed the adults of many butterfly species.

Move a caterpillar to a foreign plant, and it will starve to death. It is programmed to consume only specific plants in
specific genera.
A nectar plant:

Produces copious amounts of flower nectar, attracting nectar feeders to help fertilize the flower’s eggs for seed production.

Not all nectar producing plants attract butterflies. Flower shape plays a major role in this. Long, tubular flowers are designed to
attract hummingbirds, etc. making it hard or impossible for butterflies to feed on. Also, some flower species don’t produce
enough nectar to attract butterflies in the first place.

Not all nectar plants are host plants. Butterfly Bush, Buddleia davidii for example, is one of the premier butterfly attracting plants
on our planet, but here in the U.S. it is not host to any butterfly caterpillar species.
A balanced butterfly garden will have an assortment of host and nectar plants in its repertoire to attract butterflies to feed and others
to support caterpillar growth. A successful butterfly garden will support at least one butterfly species via the host plants it feeds on,
plus offer an array of different nectar plants from which to choose nectar.
Some butterfly species prefer nectar from a limited palette of nectar plants, plus not all flowers bloom at the same time and
produce nectar simultaneously, so it is prudent to offer as many different recognized butterfly nectar plants as possible.
For more information on creating a butterfly garden, please refer to DIY: Creating a Butterfly Garden
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Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanilla incarnata)
Upon first sighting one, many people mistake Gulf
Fritillaries for Monarchs. They would not be present here in
California if its host plant, the Passion Vine, was not growing
in neighborhood gardens.
There are many species and hybrids of Passion Vines.
Passion fruit is harvested from the species Passiflora edulis.
While all of the various species produce fruit, it is P. edulis
that is harvested commercially. P. edulis and P. caerulea are
two of the more common varieties found in local nurseries
and adapt well to many Southern California gardens.
Beware though if planting Passion Vines to support Gulf
Fritillary caterpillars: Do not plant species or hybrids sporting
red flower petals, as these are said to be lethal to larvae.
Stick with the white, yellow, and bluish-lavender colors.
Photo is of P. edulis.
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Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanilla incarnata)
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Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Probably the best known and most popular butterfly in North
America.
There are basically two races of Monarch butterflies; those
east of the Rockies and those west of the Rockies. The west
coast strain overwinters along the Southern California coast
from Monterey through San Diego counties.
The butterfly pictured to the left is a male butterfly. The two
dark spots on the lower wings close to the abdomen identify
it as such. Female Monarchs lack these spots.
Host plants of Monarchs are the numerous species in the
genera Asclepias, or better known as milkweed. North and
Central America are home to a preponderance of them.
Monarch caterpillars will also feed on the closely related
Calotropis species of India and the Gomphocarpus species
of South Africa.
Pictured is Asclepias speciosa, or Showy Milkweed, found
throughout the western United States. Grows in many areas
of Northern California.
By far, the most common milkweed found in local nurseries
and California gardens is Asclepias curassavica, commonly
known as Tropical, or Mexican Milkweed.
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Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Notice the gold, jewel-like dots along the upper seam set
against the gorgeous emerald green of the chrysalis. Truly
beautiful!
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Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
There are many Skipper species residing in North America,
California alone harboring well over a dozen. Fiery Skippers
are the most familiar of the bunch. It is small in stature at
approximately one inch long, but not in numbers.
Typical is the delta winged “jet fighter” stance that many
Skippers hold when feeding.
Fiery Skipper males are orange with dark brown markings,
whereas the female is darker with less orange and more
pronounced dark brown accents.
Very approachable, these little butterflies are entertaining
to watch up close as they flit from one flower to another.
Lantana camara attracts them big time. For that matter, L.
camara attracts butterflies in general big time!
Various common grass species such as St. Augustine,
Bermuda, Centipede, Creeping Bentgrass, etc. Normally not
found in sufficient numbers to be considered a pest.
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Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)
Fiery Skipper larvae will wrap themselves in a grass blade on
the ground for protection before they pupate.
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Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Mourning Cloak butterflies can be seen throughout most of
the U.S., England, and continental Europe.
It is an aggressive species that will set up a territory and
defend it against other flying creatures, even birds. A curious
butterfly, at times it will hover and buzz around humans
to better assess the situation.
Host plants include those members in the willow family such
as Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica), and the various native
willows present along California riparian areas. Besides the
Weeping Willow, Chinese Evergreen Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
makes an excellent host plant tree.
Photo Chinese Evergreen Elm.
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Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
Chrysalis colors range from gray through brown.
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Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Aptly named, as it is the largest butterfly in North America,
the Giant Swallowtail was very scarce in California up until a
few decades ago. Quite striking to see it delicately flutter
about on its large, robust wings.
Primarily lays its eggs on the family Rutaceae, of which citrus
and Common Rue belong to. Has been somewhat of a
nuisance in Central California citrus groves, but doesn’t pose
a threat. Affects minimal in Southern California orchards and
gardens. Plants most adversely affected are juvenile trees.
To the left is Common Rue, or Ruta graveolens. A tidy
garden plant that attracts Giant Swallowtails and its
relative, the Black Swallowtail. Used in Mediterranean
cuisines as an herb, caution must be exercised when
handling Rue. Some people exhibit an allergenic reaction
upon touching or brushing up against it, manifested as
reddish splotches and itching. Interesting to note that no
allergenic reactions occur when used as a pot herb.
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Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Called orange dogs by citrus growers on account of the
nuisance they create in citrus groves.
Mature caterpillars resemble bird droppings to deter birds
from feeding on them. If that doesn’t discourage birds,
orange dogs will extend their red osmeterium from the front
of their heads, releasing a foul smelling scent. Normally,
these horns are retracted and not visible. Osmeteria can be
found on all species of North American swallowtails.
An excellent form of camouflage, this Giant Swallowtail
chrysalis looks like a dead twig stump.
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Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Female Black Swallowtail butterfly.
Not too common in an average Southern California garden.
More so when sufficient quantities of host plants are present,
which are members of the Umbelliferae family such as Dill,
Carrot, Fennel, Parsley, Queen Anne’s Lace (Angelica), and
Poison Hemlock. Will also host on Common Rue.
Male.
Interesting to note the dimorphic coloration between the two
genders. They seem to be distinct species, but are not.
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Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
Black Swallowtail larvae use their osmeteria for self defense,
just like Giant Swallowtail caterpillars do. Here, they are
retracted.
Chrysalides vary in color from green to dark brown.
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Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
One of the daintier swallowtails calling Southern California
home. Before the early nineteen hundreds, it was rather
scarce. Following the introduction of non native Wild Fennel
into the California landscape, this diminutive (for a
swallowtail) butterfly has become very popular, especially in
areas where Wild Fennel is in abundance.
Previous to Fennel’s introduction, Anise Swallowtail larvae
fed on the various species of our native Lomatium and
Tauschia plant genera.
Host plants are from the parsley and carrot family, or
the scientifically known Apiaceae family, also known as
umbelliferous plants. These include the native Lomatium and
Tauschia species, Wild Fennel, Dill, Carrot, Parsley,
Angelica, and Poison Hemlock.
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Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)
Chrysalis colors range from green through brown.
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Cloudless Sulfur (Phoebis senna)
An erratic, somewhat frenzied flyer. Once it finds a cassia
plant, it will tend to linger.
Would not be a resident of California if not for the presence
of Cassia plants.
Cassias come in various sizes to suit one’s needs. Also
known as Senna, they grow as medium sized bushes to
medium sized trees, depending on which species.
Two very common Southern California nursery offerings are
Cassia bicapsularis and C. leptophylla. C. bicapsularis, also
known as Winter Cassia for its habit of winter flowering,
grows as a medium sized shrub. It can also be trained into a
small tree of 8 –12 ft. in height.
C. leptophylla, or Gold Medallion Tree, grows to roughly
20-25 ft. in height. A beautiful tree, so much so that the
Sawdust Art Festival in Laguna Beach planted some by their
entrance and inside the festival grounds. Mid summer
bloomer. Cassia has become a popular street tree in many
Southern California communities.
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Cloudless Sulfur (Phoebis senna)
There are two larval color forms; green and yellow. Green
caterpillars feed on the leaves of Cassias, whereas the
yellow form eats the Cassia’s yellow flowers.
Cloudless Sulfur chrysalides can be green, reddish, to light
brown in color. Almost always form chrysalides on the plant
they hatched and fed on. Many other caterpillars of different
butterfly species will scamper off someplace new in order to
metamorphose.
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Cabbage White (Agraulis vanilla incarnata)
A European introduction to the Eastern U.S. and Canada in
the mid to late 1800’s, this bothersome pest has managed to
establish itself throughout all of the continental United States
and much of Canada.
Its host of choice are brassicas and crucifers, comprised of
various members of the cabbage and mustard family. Has
caused much damage to commercial crops and homeowner
gardens. Will also dine on Zonal Geranium flower buds.
A close relative and a native to Southern California is the
Checkered White Butterfly, Pontia protodice. Not too
common, it lays its eggs primarily on wild mustard found
growing in disturbed and open grassy areas.
Cabbage, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Cauliflower,
Mustard; just about anything in the cabbage and mustard
families.
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Cabbage White (Agraulis vanilla incarnata)
Chrysalis colors range from green to brown.
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Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Painted Ladies are the most far ranging butterflies in the
world. They can be found on almost every continent except
Antarctica. Also known for their at times mass migrations,
numbering in the tens of thousands.
Host plants belong to the Malvaceae, or mallow family which
includes Hollyhock and Hibiscus. Pictured is Malva neglecta,
commonly known as Cheeseweed, Dwarf Mallow, and Button
Mallow.
Dwarf Mallow is a common weed found throughout the U.S.
Considered an invasive species, Dwarf Mallow is native to
Europe, Northern Africa, the Eurasian continent, Asia, and
China.
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Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
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A Final Word
This world of ours is truly a phenomenal and exquisitely beautiful place. Butterflies are such an integral part of this cosmos and
in the hearts of men that if they all disappeared, nature would be sore at a loss for such striking, and at the same time, dainty
charm. One would be hard pressed to find a soul that upon seeing one, would not take a second look.
Web Site: Attracting Butterflies in So Cal
Blog: A Container Butterfly Garden
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Pub. 1/2014
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