GOING WILD WITH NATIVES: Love Butterflies? Plant Natives!
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
By Susan Lewitt, for Let’s Talk Plants! June 2026.
Love Butterflies? Plant Natives!
And now for something a little bit different: I usually write about plants and mention some of the pollinators and other animals that visit them. This time I will shed some light on the lifecycle of some of the beautiful butterflies that are indigenous to San Diego and mention the native plant species that are important to them. To lure these essential pollinators to your garden, you need to have the native plants that support them.
The PIPEVINE SWALLOWTAIL (Battus philenor) adult is not very picky about the nectar plants on which it relies, as long as there is abundant nectar. Nectar plants might include milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), thistles (Cirsium spp.), and honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.). But the caterpillars are a different story. The young caterpillars are not toxic until they eat enough of the Pipevine plant. Like Monarch caterpillars, they gradually build up toxicity from their host plant. Of course, predators don’t know this, and avoid all sizes of caterpillars just in case. The host plant, Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia californica), is most unusual with its curved flower that resembles Sherlock Holmes’ pipe.
Now, regarding the Pipevine Swallowtail: The female will lay reddish brown eggs on the underside of the host plant’s leaves which will hatch out into caterpillars roughly 4 to 10 days later. It will take another 2 to 4 weeks for the caterpillar to reach 2 inches at which time it will be ready to form a chrysalis. The butterfly stage will occur about 10 to 20 days after the formation of the chrysalis, and then they have another 2 to 4 weeks as flying gems to mate and create more beauties. During those 2 to 4 weeks the female will lay a cluster of 5 to 20 eggs on the Dutchman’s Pipe, their exclusive host plant.
The BRAMBLE HAIRSTREAK (Callophrys dumetorum) will appear in the spring and the adults can be seen fluttering around from about March through June. Males will stake out a specific area as their own. Adults are easy to satisfy with nectar from several genera of the Aster family, as well as Milkweed (Asclepias spp.), Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon spp.), and Seaside Woolly Sunflower (Eriophyllum staechadifolium). Within each butterfly’s 1-to-2-week lifespan, they lay eggs on the larva’s preferred food source. When the caterpillars hatch, they will spend 3 weeks eating such things as the leaves of peas, beans, oaks and walnuts. In San Diego they may also rely on California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), and Deer Plant (Acmispon glaber). Deer Plant also supports other butterflies including Harford's Sulphur (Colias harfordii) and Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme).
The PAINTED TIGER MOTH (Arachnis picta) also relies on Deer Plant, as well as 214 other possible native plants. Some of the plants indigenous to San Diego include Common Deerweed (Acmispon glaber var. glaber), Sagebrush species (Artemisia spp.) and Lupine species (Lupinus spp.). These caterpillars also like radishes, so you may see them in your vegetable garden nibbling on your radish leaves. Look for this beautiful moth from summer through fall probably near fields and lawns. The adults live 5 to 10 days and survive without eating anything. In those few days they will deposit shiny oblong eggs on host plants to start the circle of life all over again.
The VARIABLE CHECKERSPOT butterflies (Euphydryas chalcedona) have been common in the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains, late in the spring to early summer. They seek out Purple Owl's Clover (Castilleja exserta), Denseflower Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja densiflora), Purple Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla), and Bush Monkey Flower (Diplacus aurantiacus). The young larvae group together in nests on plants such as Sticky Monkey Flower (Diplacus aurantiacus). These caterpillars may only reach half their potential size before they hibernate through the winter and into the spring. Early in the following spring, they continue their mission to form chrysalis which then become adult butterflies around May.
There are many plants that support and attract butterflies, but for best results, the native plants associated with these native butterflies are the preferred choice to draw them in to your garden, and to support our local biodiversity.
Do you want more ideas? Go to the San Diego County Fair. This month the fair is open starting June 10th and ending July 5th, from 11 am to 11 pm (not open Mondays & Tuesdays). There will be many beautiful gardens including one by the members of the California Native Plant Society, San Diego chapter. The current plan includes many unique features such as a vernal pool, and a sensory garden. Volunteers will be available to answer questions. Visit the fair to see the gardens and other fun fair attractions.
Sources & Resources:
“The Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)”, by Kelly Rourke, Pollinator Partnership, USDA Forest Service (U. S. Department of Agriculture), https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/pipevine-swallowtail.shtml
“Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)”, Butterfly Identification, https://www.butterflyidentification.com/pipevine-swallowtail.htm
“Pipevine Swallowtail Life Cycle: Complete Guide”, Butterfly Boogie, https://butterflyboogie.com/pipevine-swallowtail-life-cycle-stages-guide/
“Bramble Hairstreak”, SERDP https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/79c9d84b626a4bec9222d697ff98d222
“Painted Tiger Moth (Arachnis picta)”, Moth Identification: Moths of the USA, https://www.mothidentification.com/painted-tiger-moth.htm
Calscape, https://calscape.org/
