Pictured above: Question Mark, American Snout, Mourning Cloak, and Emperor Butterfly, which require Hackberry as a larval host plant. Did you know that trees are important butterfly host plants?  Many are hosts for the larval – or caterpillar - life stage of the butterfly.  The adult butterfly … [Read more...]

Pictured above:  Top: Monarch Caterpillar.  Bottom Left: Early Stage Chrysalis.  Bottom Right:  Late Stage Chrysalis As many know, milkweed is a necessary part of the Monarch butterfly life cycle.  The adult butterfly lays its eggs on a milkweed plant.  When the eggs hatch, the tiny caterpillar … [Read more...]