Although most of North Carolina’s common butterflies overwinter as pupae, a few pass the cold months as caterpillars. Among the easiest to locate are larvae of red-spotted purple butterflies. Black cherry trees are the primary host plants for these caterpillars in the Southeast. The fall generation of caterpillars eats cherry leaf tips on either side of the midveins. Using silk, they then curl the leaf base into a little tube and attach it to the twig with silk reinforcement. This tiny caterpillar “sleeping bag” is called a hibernaculum and provides larvae a cozy home until new leaves emerge as food in spring.

Cool Links:

Red-spotted Purple - photos, range map and natural history information from the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.

Red-spotted purple hibernaculum
photo: Mike Dunn

Red-spotted purple butterfly
photo: Paris Trail

Red-spotted Purple - natural history facts and several photos including the caterpillar and chrysalis.

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