Finding Eggs in the Field

Finding butterfly eggs in the field has everything to do with female oviposition preferences.  Females of some butterfly species groups tend to lay eggs randomly throughout the population.  Although tedious, the best way to find those eggs simply is to put forth the necessary effort. 

However, females of other butterfly species groups do demonstrate some predictable patterns with regards to how and where they prefer to lay their eggs.  These patterns include: 

  1. Eggs on flower stems
  2. Eggs on flower buds
  3. Eggs on leaves towards the top half of the plant
  4. Eggs on leaves towards the bottom of the plant
  5. Eggs on tips of the leaves
  6. Eggs on peripheral stalks
  7. Eggs laid on new growth or exceptionally healthy host plants
  8. Eggs laid on isolated host plants
  9. Eggs laid in clusters
  10. Eggs Near leaf buds or nearby stems
  11. Eggs laid near; but not on the host plant
  • Eggs on Flower Stems

    Eggs on Flower Stems (4)

    Females of some species of the Anthocharis sara complex prefer to oviposit on the flower stems of host Arabis and other mustards.
     
  • Eggs on Flower Buds

    Eggs on Flower Buds (2)

    Females of the pierid genus Euchloe prefer to oviposit on flower buds.
     
  • Eggs on Upper Half of Plant

    Eggs on Upper Half of Plant (1)

    Some females prefer to lay eggs towards the upper half of the host plant.
     
  • Eggs on Lower Half of Plant

    Eggs on Lower Half of Plant (4)

    Females of some species of butterflies prefer to lay eggs on the lower portion of the host plant.
     
  • Eggs on the Tips of Leaves

    Eggs on the Tips of Leaves (5)

    Females of the viceroys, admirals, and sisters prefer to lay eggs on the tips of host willows, aspens, cherries, cottonwoods, and oaks.
     
  • Eggs Near Leaf Buds or Nearby Stems

    Eggs Near Leaf Buds or Nearby Stems (2)

    Females of some butterflies oviposit on or near unopened leaf buds or stems on trees. Many of these eggs overwinter in that stage.
     
  • Eggs on Peripheral Stalks

    Eggs on Peripheral Stalks (4)

    Papilio indra females prefer to lay their eggs along peripheral stalks or leaves that are pointing away from the direction of the rest of the stalks on the host plant.
     
  • Eggs on New Growth or on Healthy Host Plants

    Eggs on New Growth or on Healthy Host Plants (6)

    Female butterflies that fly in semi-arid regions of some species groups (depending upon their host plants) sometimes lay their eggs only on host plants with new growth.

    Other females will seek out host plants that, for one reason or another, are healthier than other individual host plants. The reasons why these plants are healthier include the following:
    1. Plants are taking refuge under a shade source
    2. Plants are growing between rocks where the roots are healthier
    3. Plants have been naturally pruned by livestock creating healthier stalks when they grow back
    4. Plants are growing adjacent to a natural water source
    5. Plants respond to a wet winter
     
  • Eggs laid in clusters

    Eggs laid in clusters (4)

    Females of some butterfly species groups lay their eggs in clusters or strings where the hatched caterpillars feed gregariously until later instars. In North America, these groups include the subfamily Melitaeinae, the genera Nymphalis and Asterocampa and one pierid, Neophasia menapia.