From August- October in my corner of the NC piedmont, it's peak migration time for the Common Buckeye butterfly. These little beauties undertake a less dramatic travel schedule than their better known Monarch cousins, but they still make my heart lift whenever I see them. Although they aren't flashy, Common buckeye butterflies are uncommonly beautiful, with their soft brown coloration, gentle gradients, and dramatic eyespots.
When I surveyed my clients earlier this year about which migratory species you wanted to see in my work, the The Common Buckeye was high up y'all's list.
Following your lead, I created a limited edition original block print called "Common Buckeye Butterfly" This 3 layer piece features the Common Buckeye, framed by Carolina Wild Petunias and Virginia Plantain--both plants being important larval host plant for these butterflies.
I also created a pattern called "Buckeye Daydream" which has become my new favorite. In this pattern, not only am I able to include serval larval host plants for this butterfly (Virginia Plantain, Blue Toadflax, and Carolina Wild Petunia,) but I was also able to highlight the Asters and Goldenrods that are essential nectar plants during their fall migration. In researching this artwork, I learned that these butterflies cannot tolerate freezing temperatures at any point in their life cycle, o
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Above: Carolina Wild Petunia in my Hillsborough, NC garden. Some may think of this plant as a weed, but I always let a few volunteers persist in my beds specifically for the Buckeye Caterpillars.
