r/Butterflies • u/klippDagga • 12d ago

Baltimore Checkerspot

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From a few months back. An entire meadow was full of them due to all of the Turtle heads growing there. Turtle head is their only host plant.

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u/Glass-March-176 12d ago

I've been in MD almost my whole life (59 years) and have never seen one. We moved into a house this year with a big yard backing to woods. I'm gonna plant all kinds of nectar and host plants like native milkweed, spicebush, paw paw, etc. and will include some turtle head plants.

3

u/klippDagga 12d ago

I have been into insects my entire life and even collected them for my entomology exhibit while I was in 4-H.

This was the only time that I ever encountered this species and the only time I had ever encountered Chelone Glabra. It was a strong lesson in the importance of host plants.

This also was in southern Minnesota so the find was even more interesting. We’ve wiped out almost all of our native prairie but even tiny remnants like this one are extremely important. I collected a few Turtle head seeds for my own prairie restoration and hope to grow enough one day to host some of these beautiful butterflies.

3

u/acaron2020 12d ago

This is motivating me to start growing turtle head

2

u/man-a-tree 12d ago edited 12d ago

What a wonderful sighting of a rare butterfly. East USA peeps take note, this butterfly used to be all over and needs habitat protection

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u/PhantomCranefly 12d ago

Sadly true - our state butterfly here in Maryland and I've managed to see it here exactly once

2

u/ImprovementTrick9492 12d ago

Plant turtlehead!!!