Exotics as host plants of the California butterfly fauna

Abstract

Introduced species may impact native species and communities in many ways. One which has received relatively little attention is by serving as resources for natives, thereby altering their ecology. We address such impacts on the California butterfly fauna as currently understood. Eighty-two of California's approximately 236 butterfly species (34%) are reported as ovipositing or feeding on introduced plant taxa. Many more utilize introduced plants as nectar sources. Interactions with introduced plant taxa are not distributed evenly among butterfly species. Alpine and desert butterflies interact with relatively few introduced plants because few exotic plant species have reached and successfully colonized these habitats. Other California butterfly species are specialists on particular plant families or genera with no exotic representatives in California and have thus far failed to recognize any introduced plants as potential foodplants. Some California butterflies have expanded their geographic ranges and/or extended their flight seasons by feeding on exotic plants. However, negative impacts of exotic plant species can also occur. At least three of the state's butterfly species currently lay eggs on introduced taxa that are toxic to larvae. Impacts of introduced plant taxa on California's butterflies are expected to increase as both habitat conversion and alien introductions accelerate.