The Harvester is a small tan butterfly with dark wing borders and blotches on its upper surface. The underside has a ground color of reddish-orange (sometimes with a purplish sheen) with distinctive dark orange/brown circles rimmed with white rings.

 

“Harvester butterfly” by Kara Jones, licensed by (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

Harvester Facts

Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Miletinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 1/8 – 1 1/4 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Deciduous or mixed woodlands along streams

 

Harvester Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants:

• Harvester caterpillars eat woolly aphids. Aphids can be found on leaves of:
  • Alder
  • Beech
  • Witch Hazel
  • Hawthorn
  • Maple
  • Greenbrier

Nectar Plants:

• Adult Harvesters are not typically found in gardens, and they do not sip flower nectar. They sip sugary secretions of aphids, mud, and sap for nourishment.