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NETTLE
LAKE BUTTERFLY RESTORATION/CONSERVATION PLAN
Most systematists recognize the
taxonomic label “butterflies” to be composed of two 
Super families of insects, the “true butterflies",” the
Papilionoidea", and the “skippers,” the Hesperioidea.
Skippers tend to be small to medium-sized, drab in color,
with brown, orange, and black as frequent colors, and have
hooked antennal clubs, in contrast to “true” butterflies. Their flight is often erratic, and they have
been described as resembling miniature fighter planes.
Unless indicated, henceforth the term “butterfly” will
refer to an individual of either super family. Like 88% of
the insects, butterflies undergo a complete metamorphosis,
with 4 stages to their life cycle - egg, larva
(caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult. Most species
also have a resting stage, diapause, so caterpillars hatch
having something to eat, and adults emerge at a favorable
time. In most cases, larval food plants differ from adult
nectar plants, which is thought to reduce competition
between caterpillars and adults. Thus, to support minimum
viable populations of a particular species, having plants
suitable for both life cycle stages is a necessity.
This restoration plan is aimed at
maximizing butterfly diversity at Nettle Lake, and
additionally, targeting species designated endangered,
threatened, or of special interest by the Ohio Department of
Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Currently four
species that have been documented in Williams County are so
designated: Two-Spotted Skipper, 
Purplish Copper, Regal Fritillary, and Silver-Boardered
Fritillary. Additionally, the Karner Blue butterfly
(pictured to the right), Lycae ides melissa samuelis,
currently designated as Federally Endangered, has been
documented in the Oak Openings of Lucas County, and in
northern Indiana as far east as Lake County, although it has
not been documented in Williams County.
Butterflies are probably some
of our most recognizable and charismatic invertebrates, and
currently much restoration work is aimed at preserving them
because of their aesthetic values (i.e., the current rising
popularity of “butterfly gardening”) Additionally, however,
butterflies may serve a more valuable function, as
biological indicators of ecosystem health and function. Click
here for more information on Butterflies.
Of the 524 species of butterflies and
skippers found in the eastern United States, 144 have been
documented in Ohio. A list of species possibly occurring at
Nettle Lake was compiled by examining published accounts of
species distributions in both Indiana and Ohio. A species
was included in the list if it has been collected in either
Williams County, Ohio, or Steuben County, Indiana.
Eighty-three species comprised this list. Data on existing
species at Nettle Lake were compiled by two ways: sightings
recorded by volunteer landowners, and specimens collected or
sighted by student field assistants, from May 9, 1995, to
Oct. 31, 1996. Only thirteen species were documented as
currently known to occur at this site, leaving 70 species of possible occurrence at Nettle Lake.
The relatively low number
of species observed is probably both a result of observer
inexperience and the relatively low number of observer-days
censusing butterflies only (i.e., in some cases no record in
the Biological Survey probably does not reflect that the
species is truly absent). The Biological Survey also
documented tree and wildflower species present. Records of
known larval host plants and adult nectar sources were
compared to existing vegetation at the site to identify any
“gaps” in habitat requirements for butterflies
potentially using the area around Nettle Lake. Additionally,
attention was given to identifying any special habitat
requirements of the four state endangered or threatened
species on the list.
The host plants of many of the skippers
are unknown in Ohio. Twenty of the 29 species (68%) of
skippers possibly occurring at Nettle Lake use several
species of grasses and sedges in other parts of their range.
Species commonly used are: purple-top, little bluestem,
meadow grasses, and panic grasses. Of these four species,
Andropogon is the only one not relatively common throughout
the state; thus habitat enhancement for skippers at this
site might include developing a stand of this species for
larval food needs. However, additional information on which
species of grasses and sedges skippers are known to use in
Ohio would be helpful, in any future monitoring program.
Most adult skippers use a diversity of
nectar plants. Nettle Lake has a variety of the plants
commonly used: red clover, alfalfa, Canada thistle,
raspberry, swamp milkweed, teasel, wild bergamot, spring
beauty, common dandelion, and oxeye daisy. However, some of
the recommendations below may enhance nectaring habitat
quality and quantity for adult skippers.
Very broadly speaking, the true
butterflies tend to be more specific in their required host
plants than their nectar plants. Common nectar plants used
are similar to the ones used by skippers. Some
groups that deserve mention, because of their particularly
specialized needs, or because Nettle Lake is either scarce
in or lacking their host plants: the Swallowtails, the
Fritillaries, other Nymphalids, and the Satyrs and the Wood
Nymphs.
 Some
forest butterfly species visit patchy resources such as
rotting fruit, fermenting sap flows, dung, or carrion for
their primary adult energy resources, and may infrequently
visit flowers. Consequently, these species may be hard to
manage for adult needs on a consistent basis. This list
includes the Question Mark, Comma, Gray Comma, Compton
Tortoise Shell, and Mourning Cloak.
Butterfly and skipper species documented in Williams Co.
Ohio, and Steuben Co., Indiana, and occurring or potentially
occurring at Nettle Lake. (red type
print indicates those species observed in the Biological
Survey).
SUPERFAMILY Hesperioidea Latreille - Skippers
- FAMILY Hesperiidae - True Skippers
Silver-spotted Skipper
Southern Cloudy Wing
Northern Cloudy Wing
Sleepy Dusky Wing
Juvenal’s Dusky Wing
Columbine Dusky Wing
Checkered Skipper
Common Sooty Wing
Least Skipper
European Skipper
Fiery Skipper
Leonard’s Skipper
Peck’s Skipper
Tawny-Edged Skipper
Cross Line Skipper
Long Dash
Northern Broken Dash
Little Glassy Wing
Sachem
Delaware Skipper
Mulberry Wing
Northern Golden Skipper
Broad-winged Skipper
Dion Skipper
Duke’s Skipper
Black Dash
Two-spotted SkipperE
Dun Skipper
Ocala Skipper
SUPERFAMILY Papilionoidea Latreille - True
Butterflies
- FAMILY Papilionidae - Swallowtails
Pipevine Swallowtail
Zebra Swallowtail
Black Swallowtail
Giant Swallowtail
Tiger Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
- FAMILY Pieridae - Whites and Sulfurs
Checkered White
European Cabbage White
Clouded Sulfur/Common Sulfur Alfalfa Butterfly/Orange
Sulfur
Dog Face
Little Sulfur
Sleepy Orange
- FAMILY Lycaenidae - Gossamer Wings
American Copper
Bronze Copper
Purplish CopperE
Dorcas copper
Coral Hairstreak
Acadian Hairstreak
Banded Hairstreak
Hickory Hairstreak
Striped Hairstreak
Eastern Tailed Blue
Spring Azure
- FAMILY Libytheidae - Snouts
Eastern Snout Butterfly
 FAMILY
Nymphalidae - Brushfoots
Variegated Fritillary
Great Spangled Fritillary
Aphrodite Fritillary
Regal FritillaryE
Silver-bordered FritillaryT
Meadow Fritillaiy
Silvery Checkerspot
Pearl Crescent
Baltimore
Question Mark
Comma
Gray Comma
Compton Tortoise Shell
Mourning Cloak
Milbert’s Tortoise Shell
American Painted Lady
Painted Lady
Red Admiral
White Admiral/Red-Spotted Purple
Buckeye
Viceroy
- FAMILY Apaturidae - Leaf Wing and Hackberry
Butterflies
Hackberry Butterfly
Tawny Emperor
- FAMILY Satyridae - Satyrs and Wood Nymphs
Northern Pearly Eye
Northern Eyed Brown
Appalachian Eyed Brown
Little Wood Satyr
Common Wood Nymph
- FAMILY Danaidae - Milkweed Butterflies
Monarch
Native Plants
Host Plants
dogbanes
milkweeds - butterfly weed,
purple milkweed, and
swamp
milkweed.
willows
sassafras
wild carrot and relatives
violets
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Cultivated Plants
Host Plants
carrot, dill, parsley
asters
cabbage, broccoli
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Nectar Plants
milkweeds
asters
ox-eye daisy
coreopsis
coneflowers
bergamots
phlox
blazing stars
common lilac
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Nectar Plants
asters
butterfly bush
daisies or chrysanthemums
hibiscus
french lavender
alfalfa
bee balm
phlox
marigolds
Vinca
zinnias |
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