The Harvester is North America's only carnivorous butterfly — its caterpillar feeds exclusively on woolly aphid colonies, eating the insects rather than plants. Adults have no proboscis long enough to nectar effectively and feed instead on aphid honeydew, dung, and moisture. Its small orange wings with dark borders are distinctive and it flies in short, rapid bursts near alder thickets.
Best time to see a Harvester
The best time to see a Harvester is June–August, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 3,302 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Harvester? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
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