I wish I could answer your question but I can't. I've actually been wondering the same thing myself. Do you have the rare Karna Blue butterfly there? I don't know its range offhand but I know it's endangered and it eats lupinus perennis. I bought that seed online thinking that there were more than just that one kind of butterfly cat that ate that plant but then I thought someone said only the Karna Blue does, but I could be wrong. Did you have cats other than the Karna Blue eat your lupinus perennis? I also bought lupinus texensis and also Russell's Lupines. If nothing else, I guess they'll be good nectar plants.
Cathy

A review of the USDA profile and the HOSTS database shows that L. texensis occurs naturally only as far north as Oklahoma and that some moths and a couple of blue-family butterflies use L. texensis. Use as a hostplant was not listed for the USA, but it probably occurs in Mexico.

If you can get these plants to grow that far north, it may be worth a try. I doubt the caterpillars would die.

Thank you Larry and Cathy.

Yes, I am especially interested in making sure my lupines are right because they are the key to managing for at least five endangered species in MI. The Karner Blue is described as an "indicator species" by my state's DNR. It lists five other species which benefit from Lupinus Perennis and "managing for the Karner Blue."

I have Lupinus Perennis winter-sown already. I just want MORE! L. Texensis is supposed to handle wet conditions better, and my soil is still a little heavy yet (I'm working on that, too!). I'll sow the seeds in flats and see what happens.

I've never heard of any North American caterpillar dying on a host plant from North America - the only time I've ever heard of this happening is when some butterflies lay their eggs on an exotic variety of their host plant, like when gulf frits lay eggs on some red flowering, South American passionvines and pipevine swallowtails lay eggs on tropical pipevines. Fortunately, GFs and PVSs don't usually lay eggs on the foreign plants.
Since l. texensis is a NA native, I wouldn't be afraid to plant it. I think l. texensis is an annual, so winter temps probably wouldn't make a difference. The only adverse thing that might happen is that the blues won't lay eggs on it, so you might not want to buy too many plants/seeds in case they go beggin'! :)
Thank you for helping the endangered blues!
MissSherry

Thanks Miss Sherry. I'll fill a few more containers soon. I think I may have to wait another week, though. Snow is in the forecast. Ugh.

Yes, I am very excited about my project. I have four species of endagered Lepidoptera and several more common species I am planting especially for. I don't really look at gardening the same way anyomre. It's not about the plants, it's about the insects and their needs.