Like the Julia and Zebra Longwing butterflies, Gulf Fritillaries are called brush-footed butterflies because their first pair of legs are modified into brushes. The female butterfly uses these brushes to scrape plant leaves and taste plant chemicals. When she identifies the host plants for her caterpillars, she begins laying her yellow eggs singly on these plants. The host plants for Gulf Fritillary caterpillars are a variety of passion flower species. To date, we have found no eggs in the Conservancy butterfly garden.

In the picture below, one of this Gulf Fritillary's brush feet is shown folded under its eye.

As shown below, Gulf Fritillary caterpillars are very colorful. This caterpillar's head and thin stripes along its body are orange; its thicker bands are blue- gray. Its black branched spines are very noticeable. Other Gulf Fritillary caterpillars may have wider bands of orange and thinner bands of black. The photograph below was taken at Lovers Key State Park. To date we have not spotted any caterpillars in our garden.

Below Left: With its wings open, an adult Gulf Fritillary is bright orange with black markings and three white spots on its forewing. The hindwing has a black and orange chain-like border. Below Right: With its wings folded, the underside of the Gulf Fritillary's wing is a much different color, brown with long silver-white spots, outlined in black.

Gulf Fritillary butterflies are migratory and spend their winters in Southern Florida, where they like to spend their time in undisturbed areas, eating the nectar from a variety of colorful flowers. They especially like lantana.

Below, a pair prepare to mate.

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Links:

Index to Butterfly and Moth Visitors to Gardens

Index To Photographs of Plants in the Gardens

Plant Lists by Garden

Conservancy of SW Florida Butterfly Garden Home Page

Conservancy of SW Florida Home Page.

Please report errors to Susan Snyder at ssnyder2@columbus.rr.com