“Harvester butterfly” by Kara Jones, licensed by (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Harvester Facts
Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
Butterfly Subfamily: Miletinae
Butterfly Wingspan: 1 1/8 – 1 1/4 inches
Butterfly Habitat: Deciduous or mixed woodlands along streams
🪴Host Organisms
Females lay eggs near colonies of woolly aphids, typically on or adjacent to the host plant species where the aphids are present. Larvae consume the aphids directly.
These native plants often host the woolly aphids that Harvester caterpillars feed on:
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Alder (Alnus spp.) — especially Speckled Alder (Alnus incana)
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Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
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Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
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Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)
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Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
🌸 Nectar behavior
Adult Harvesters are not typically found in gardens and do not sip flower nectar. Instead, they feed on:
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Aphid honeydew (sugary secretions from aphid colonies)
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Moist soil or mud
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Tree sap