By Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Nature Page | Duke Forest Home
I've been studying populations and diversity of the butterflies of Duke Forest annually since 1994. In 2004 I received a grant to produce this educational website and accompanying brochure of Duke Forest Butterflies.
Butterflies (and moths) are classified by scientists as insects in the order Lepidoptera (meaning "scaly-winged"). At least 81 species of butterflies have been recorded in the Duke Forest, nearly half of all butterfly species regularly occurring in the State of North Carolina! Butterflies depend on plants, and the diversity of vegetation and habitats in the Duke Forest results in a high diversity of butterflies.
Warm and sunny -- Look for them on warm, sunny days. Because butterflies cannot generate much body heat on their own, they are generally active only when it’s warm and at least somewhat sunny.
Flowers -- Look closely at flowers. Many species of butterflies can be easily observed while they’re sipping nectar from flowers (“nectaring”) .
Mud, stream banks, scat, and rotting fruit -- Some species of butterflies prefer to get their food and moisture requirements from these alternate sources.
Dirt roads & trails -- During the morning hours, butterflies are often found basking on sunny patches on dirt roads.
Open areas -- Butterflies are most often found where the sun shines in open areas such as wide trails, roadsides, powerline corridors, fields, and stream banks. They are found less often in shade.
Butterfly Life Cycle
Adult female butterflies seek out specific host plants on which to lay their eggs. Some species of butterflies will lay eggs on many kinds of plants, while other butterflies require one certain plant species. The caterpillars (larvae) hatch from the eggs, feed on the host plant, and eventually form chrysalises (pupae). Inside the chrysalis, a caterpillar metamorphoses (pupates) into an adult butterfly. The butterfly then emerges and seeks mates, food, and host plants to continue the cycle.
Host Plants in Duke Forest
Many different kinds of plants in the Duke Forest are used as host plants, including oak and hickory trees (hairstreaks, duskywings), hackberry trees (emperors, snouts, anglewings), milkweeds (Monarch), violets (fritillaries), and various grasses and sedges (browns, pearly-eyes, satyrs, many species of skippers).
Nectar Plants in Duke Forest
While many species of butterflies breed in the Duke Forest, others simply pass through in search of flower nectar or other resources. Here are some examples of flowers that are good nectar sources for butterflies in the Duke Forest:
Spring
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Blackberries (Rubus spp.)
Summer
Elephant’s-foot (Elephantopus spp.)
Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)
Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.)
Mountain-mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)
Fall
Asters (Aster spp.)
Blazing-stars (Liatris spp. )
Sneezeweeds (Helenium spp.)
Goldenrods (Solidago spp.)
Flight times
Different species of butterflies are found at different times of the year. Some butterflies complete their life cycles multiple times in a single year, having several broods. Adults of these species (Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, for example) can be found from spring into fall as one brood blends into another.
Other species may have only one (e.g., Banded Hairstreak) or two (e.g., Red-banded Hairstreak) broods per year and, therefore, will be found only during specific times of the year. This checklist shows these “flight times” for all species found in the Duke Forest. This information can help you distinguish between two confusing species if their flight times differ (e.g., Juvenal’s and Horace’s Duskywings).
Warm Winter Days
While most butterfly species spend the winter as eggs, caterpillars, or chrysalises, a few butterflies actually overwinter as adults, hibernating under loose tree bark until warm sunny days appear. On such days, you may take a stroll in the Forest and look for species like American Snout, Mourning Cloak and the “anglewings” (Eastern Comma and Question Mark).
Identification Tips
A good pair of close-focusing (to 6 feet or less) binoculars are very helpful for watching butterflies. Note the overall size, shape, colors, and pattern of the markings on the upperside and underside if possible. Then consult a good field guide such as Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East by Jeffrey Glassberg, or The Kaufman Focus Guide to Butterflies of North America by Jim Brock and Kenn Kaufman. Be sure to also note the time of year and consult this checklist to see which species are expected that season.
Butterfly Collecting
Collecting in Duke Forest is by permit only. Please contact the Office of the Duke Forest at 919-613-8013.
Acknowledgements
Brochure and this accompanying website designed and developed by Jeffrey S. Pippen. Data compiled from Notes of the Butterflies of North Carolina, 12th Approximation by Harry LeGrand and Tom Howard with additional field surveys by Jeffrey S. Pippen. Thanks also to Will Cook and Harry LeGrand for helpful comments and suggestions throughout this project.
All photos by Jeffrey S. Pippen.
This project was made possible by grants from The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, The Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Research at Duke University, and the Office of the Duke Forest.
Please report any noteworthy butterfly sightings to the Office of the Duke Forest at 919-613-8013.
