Host-plant
Guides
Acmaeodera recticollis
Acmaeodera recticollis is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Fall in 1899. It is distributed across North America, with records from the southwestern United States including New Mexico and Arizona. Adults have been collected from flowers of Ephedra torreyana (Torrey's jointfir), representing a documented adult host plant association. The species is considered uncommonly encountered in the field.
Colobura
Colobura is a genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae containing two recognized species: Colobura dirce (zebra mosaic) and Colobura annulata (new beauty). The genus ranges from Mexico through Central America to South America. Larvae of at least one species have been documented feeding on Cecropia obtusifolia (Urticaceae).
Papilio machaon aliaska
Alaskan Old World Swallowtail
Papilio machaon aliaska is a subspecies of the Old World Swallowtail butterfly found in Alaska. It represents a distinct population that has colonized novel host plants in the Asteraceae family in addition to its ancestral Apiaceae hosts. Studies indicate that larval fitness is highest on the ancestral host plant Cnidium cnidiifolium when reared in controlled environments without predation, though field observations suggest survival advantages on novel hosts when natural enemies are present. The subspecies demonstrates the complex ecological and evolutionary dynamics of host plant relationships in swallowtail butterflies.