Common Buckeye

The Common Buckeye is named for its conspicuous target-shaped eyespots, making it one of the most distinctive and readily-identifiable North American butterflies. It can be found in a wide variety of open, sunny landscapes including old fields, roadsides, utility corridors, gardens, parks, yards, fallow agricultural land, scrubs, pine savannas, and disturbed areas.

  • American Bluehear – Buchnera americana

    Blue Toadflax -- Linaria canadensis (Nuttallanthus canadensis)

    False Foxglove – Agalinis spp

    • Downy yellow false foxglove (Aureolaria virginica)

    • Fernleaf yellow false foxglove (Aureolaria pedicularia)

    • Smooth yellow false foxglove (Aureolaria flava)

    • Smooth yellow false foxglove (Aureolaria flava var. flava)

    • Purple false foxglove (Agalinis purpurea)

    • Slenderleaf false foxglove (Agalinis tenuifolia)

    Frogfruit – Phyla spp

    Indian Paintbrush – Castilleja spp

    Monkey Flower

    • Allegheny monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens var. ringens)

    Penstemon

    Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

    Hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus)

    • Pale beardtongue (Penstemon pallidus)

    Woodland stonecrop (Sedum ternatum)

    Speedwell – Veronica spp

    Verbena

    • Hoary verbena (Verbena stricta)

    • White vervain (Verbena urticifolia)

    Wild Petunia – Ruellia spp

  • Butter and Eggs – Linaria vulgaris

    Firecracker – Russelia spp

    Green Shrimp – Blechum pyramidatum

    Snapdragon – Antirrhinum spp

    Snapdragon Vine – Maurandya antirrhiniflora

    Yaupon Blacksenna – Seymeria cassioides

  • Can be seen puddling and they also feed on carrion, dung, rotting fruit

    Aster, Dogbane, Frogfruit, Gumweed, Milkweed, Tickseed Sunflower (Bidens)

  • Brazilian Verbena, Butterfly Bush (make sure you use a sterile variety), Chickory, Clover, Cosmos, Knapweed, Lantana, Peppermint

  • May-October. Last brood overwinters

  • Butterflies and Moths of North America. Butterfliesandmoths.org

    Brenda Dziedzic, Raising Butterflies in the Garden

    Heather Holm, Pollinators of Native Plants

    National Wildlife Federation. Nwf.org

    Xerces Society. Xerces.org