What are Native Host Plants?

A Native Host Plant is a specific plant that certain Lepidoptera larvae require to survive.

“Lepidoptera” are Butterflies and moths.

“Larvae or caterpillars” are the babies of lepidoptera.

Native Host Plants are a food source for caterpillars. Most Native caterpillars have specific plant requirements, they need to eat specific plant leaves in order to survive and become a butterfly or moth. These Native Host Plants might “Host” or support only one or maybe hundreds of larvae species. Each plant is incredibly important regardless. For example, we know that if we plant a Milkweed plant, it can “Host” or support only the Monarch butterfly caterpillar. Yet if we plant an Oregon White Oak tree, and it can “Host” or support up to 200 caterpillar species.

But why care about Caterpillars? Caterpillars are a crucial food source for birds when feeding their young. They provide a high-protein, easily digestible food source, rich in fats and carotenoids, all essential nutrients for growing baby birds. If there are not enough caterpillars, the baby birds will not survive.

So why care about birds? Birds provide vital ecosystem services, such as…Free non-toxic insect control, seed dispersal, food source for other predators, pollination, scavenger sanitation work, ecosystem engineers and free fertilizing w their poo! By planting Oregon Native Keystone Plants, we are becoming Oregon ecosystem engineers ourselves.