Host and Nectar Plants

The difference between host plants and nectar plants is that host plants are eaten by caterpillars and nectar plants are eaten by adult butterflies.  For example sunflowers, sweet pepper bush and purple cone flower attract adult butterflies.  Host plants are most needed in the garden if there’s no host plants you will have fever butterflies because for most species if the egg was not placed on the correct plant, the caterpillar hatching from that egg will not survive.  Butterflies need Nectar and host plants because for one it helps them survive throughout their life cycle, and it helps provide shelter and food for the butterflies.  One type of butterflies and its host plant is the Black swallowtail, this butterfly host plants are, Dill, parsley, fennel, carrot.  Monarch butterflies needs milkweed plants to lay eggs on and for their caterpillars to feed on.

- Theresa and Winne