Butterflies & Moths

Graceful Pollinators

There are about 10,000 species of butterflies and moths across North America that play a role as pollinators. What usually sets these two apart are the time of day they are active, the position they rest their wings and the shape of their body and antennae.

Both butterflies and moths undergo complete metamorphosis meaning the young (larva) transforms into an adult that looks very different and often eats different food. The four stages of this life cycle are egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Butterflies and moths require host plants to lay their eggs on that will later serve as a food source for their larvae (caterpillar stage) and pupa. Some of the most common plant varieties used are vetch, milkweed, clover varieties, wild lupine and wild indigo. Trees can also be used as hosts and can include oak, cherry, sassafras, maple and willow. The pupa stage, when the caterpillar is full size and stops eating, can last from a few weeks to, in some species, two years.

As adults, butterflies and moths can use their proboscis, a long, tube-like tongue that can be uncoiled, for collecting nectar. However, some species don't feed at all as their main focus is mating and laying eggs. Adults can live as little as one week or as long as several months. While species like the Monarch butterfly migrate a long distance for the winter, most butterflies and moths actually overwinter in their native areas. Overwintering typically occurs while in the larval stage but can occur in any stage of the life cycle. Butterflies and moths will reside in tree cavities, loose bark, evergreen foliage, or logs and rocks to survive the winter months.