Species Guide
Identification, range, and host plants for the butterflies you're most likely to see in a North American garden.
Each entry lists its host plant — what the caterpillar eats — since that's the single most useful thing to know if you want a species to actually breed in your garden, not just visit it. Range and flight season vary with weather and latitude; treat them as a general guide rather than a guarantee.
Did You Know?There are an estimated 18,000 described butterfly species worldwide (estimates range from about 17,500 to 20,000, since the count keeps shifting as species are described or reclassified). Of those, roughly 725 have been recorded in North America north of Mexico, with about 575 occurring regularly in the lower 48 states.
