Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae
This bug has been reportedly found in the following regions:
Atmore, Alabama
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama(2 reports)
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Valley Head, Alabama
Glendale, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona(2 reports)
Queen Creek, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona(2 reports)
Barling, Arkansas
Marion, Arkansas
Brea, California
Burbank, California
Canoga Park, California
Highgrove, California
Huntington Beach, California
Livermore, California
Reseda, California
San Diego, California(2 reports)
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
Simi Valley, California
Stockton, California
Altamonte Springs, Florida
Big Pine Key, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Brooksville, Florida(4 reports)
Cape Coral, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Dunedin, Florida
Fernandina Beach, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida(2 reports)
Fountain, Florida
Holiday, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida(2 reports)
Lady Lake, Florida
Largo, Florida
Lutz, Florida(2 reports)
Marianna, Florida
Mayo, Florida
Melbourne Beach, Florida
Miami, Florida(3 reports)
Micanopy, Florida
North Port, Florida
Oldsmar, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Harbor, Florida
Panama City, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pompano Beach, Florida(2 reports)
Port Saint Lucie, Florida
Rockledge, Florida
Sebastian, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tarpon Springs, Florida
Winter Haven, Florida
Winter Springs, Florida
Dacula, Georgia
Douglasville, Georgia
Duluth, Georgia
Peachtree City, Georgia
Rincon, Georgia
Tifton, Georgia
Hauula, Hawaii
Benton, Kentucky
Covington, Louisiana
Denham Springs, Louisiana(2 reports)
Hammond, Louisiana
La Place, Louisiana
Metairie, Louisiana
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Florence, Mississippi
Golden, Mississippi
Belmont, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Concord, North Carolina
Kure Beach, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Edmond, Oklahoma
Bluffton, South Carolina
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Inman, South Carolina
Lexington, South Carolina
Summerville, South Carolina
Abilene, Texas
Arlington, Texas(2 reports)
Austin, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Bryan, Texas
Burleson, Texas
Carrollton, Texas
Conroe, Texas
Emory, Texas
Floresville, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Garland, Texas(2 reports)
Grapevine, Texas
Harker Heights, Texas
Houston, Texas(4 reports)
Huffman, Texas
Irving, Texas
Katy, Texas
Keller, Texas
Kountze, Texas
Longview, Texas
Los Fresnos, Texas
Lufkin, Texas
Missouri City, Texas
Montgomery, Texas
New Caney, Texas
Portland, Texas
San Angelo, Texas
San Antonio, Texas(4 reports)
Sonora, Texas
Spring, Texas(2 reports)
Temple, Texas
show all
TEDSPASSION
wik
BBingBBong
By the end of Fall, the caterpillars had entirely eaten every single leaf on the vine, and then began eating the skin of the vines, still with dozens of young 'pillars, many of which unfortunately starved and never made it to their butterfly stage.
That might sound like a horror story to some gardeners, but... read more
Vinite
Postobitum
Fireftrlia
cbeehn
we live in south east Texas. Both my husband and myself are Texas Master Naturalist. We've established a butterfly garden and had a healthy population of Gulf Fritillary caterpillars enjoying our passion vine. We were gone for several days and upon our return, every caterpillar gone. there were dozens of them when we left. Butterfly and Caterpillar were gone. Butterfly have yet to return.
We do have a number of crystalis remaining. Plenty of Passion Vine
and Coral vine is full of blooms for butterflies.
might anyone have any ideas has to what is going on?
we also have plenty of milk weed with the intent to support the Monarch population. not the first Monarch. Last year we were quite busy with them. a few in the spring, none i... read more
leemiller38
Xenobia
Living in San Francisco, I cannot tell you how fortunate I feel when I see these huge, gorgeous, fast and nimble flyers hovering around my passion flower.
Yes, the leaves of this very vigorous plant are kinda ragged looking right now, but Gulf Fritillaries don't eat the flowers. Having observed them throughout their full life cycle numerous times, it is clear that they only eat the leaves.
So- for all you caterpillar haters out there, if you get to enjoy the flowers, why not let them have the leaves? They don't fly and breed year round, so your vines should have plenty of time to recover.
Given that the overall population of pollinators is vast... read more
bojolinda
gffrenemy
I live in a pine flat wood forest in West central Florida. The vines don't grow wild here due to poor soil and extreme heat/drought. My vines are like beacons calling to any GF in the area...
The caterpillars are voracious eaters, but there are ants that seem to eat some of the eggs - but not all. I still get 15 or more caterpillars every week or so. The vines are flowering and fruiting, so that's great and I HATE killing the caterpillars, but I admit, I've had to remove a lot of them to save the vines. There's just too many.
Next spring - I'm planting 8-10 vines on a back fence - a soaker hose on a timer and a bit of fertilizer should give them wh... read more
yeayea
Suzy_Bee
To those who are upset at the passionflower leaf destruction, I suggest you plant more... and possibly more!
Perrjojo
Phellos
themikesmom
jimtomczak
They lay eggs on every thing. I have the stripped vines, I have stopped counting or trying not to step on them. Oh the vine they loved is another Hybrid
blue but not our Maypop.
cmsjjdr
kerrpe
marvell77
dangitgirl
I have so many orange butterflies in my garden my kids are trying to collect them.
I wanted to put negative but these buggers have not stung me yet so neutral it is.
Hopefully my passion vine will still bloom..... have not gotten that far yet.
sueatkins
So what do you do about the unsightly plants that have been eaten? Well, I don't do anything because I have learned that they always come back with more vigor. I put in 2... read more
Sheila965
The passion flower I have is a red. It didn't seem to bother them at all. ;-)
T_Rex
Indigoez
palmbob
onalee
okus
Common throughout Southern USA and Mexico.
Bright Orange above with some black spots and a black network along hind wing border and a cluster of tiny white spots near forewing costa.
Some lepidopterists consider that Gulf Fritillaries belong to a separate family the Heliconiidae, however thay have a lot in common with the Nymphalidae or Brush Foot Butterflies