Maybe you should email the wildflower center and inform them. They have it listed as a host plant for painted ladies on their website about that plant.

Ironweeds are good native nectar sources and very beautiful. I've seen PSTs nectaring on them. Beautiful color combination, the blue/black butterfly on the purple flower.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wildflower Center

This post was edited by runmede on Fri, Jun 6, 14 at 12:30

I don't understand why anybody would have listed ironweed as a host plant for American ladies. Al the AL host plants are closely related - Cudweeds/Gnaphalium, Everlastings/Anaphalis and Gnaphalium, and Artemesias. These plants nearly all have fleshy, soft, white stems. Ironweed is nothing like that.

I'm sorry your cat died, bernergrrl.

Sherry

Did the test caterpillar starve or seem poisoned? One caterpillar may not be a definitive experiment.

Veronica does appear in one entry of the HOSTS database for this butterfly, but no species is given.

At least V fasciculata is not in the FAQ.

I'm not sure--there was some green liquid around it, as if from frass. It wasn't long enough to be starved--I put it in there for about an hour while there was a little bit of Prairie Sage still. A couple of holes were present on the V. fasciculata.

In any case, it didn't take to it like the Prairie Sage. I don't think I want to try it again though.

Thx everyone. I feel bad for the caterpillar.

A middle instar may not transfer to a new food. A wise old lady taught me to keep both host plants in the container in case the second one was rejected. I have found that is the best way to change food. That is if they accept the second food. Some species change easily. Others totally refuse to change food once they are older.