Love Those Gulf Frits

Nov 5, 2012

Love Those Gulf Frits

Nov 5, 2012

If you're passionate about Passiflora (passion flower vine), you're probably passionate about those Gulf Fritillary butterflies (Agraulis vanillae). 

It's November with temperatures in the unseasonal mid-80s, and the butterflies are laying eggs like there's no tomorrow.

From eggs to larvae to chrysalises to adults--what a sight to see.

We watched a caterpillar munch leaves as an ant scooted down to investigate. Then a magnificent adult, its wings fresh and showing no visible signs of predatory bites, fluttered down right in front of us.

Butterfly expert Art Shapiro, distinguished professor of evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis, calls these butterflies a "dazzling bit of the New World Tropics."

Indeed they are. Orange never looked so good.