Orange caterpillars with black spikes

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Ems_Garden Slidell, LA(Zone 8b) Sep 20, 2009

Was away from home a couple of days and came back to find these orange caterpillars with black spikes had eaten all of the leaves off of my passifloras - grrrrrr! Anyone know what they are? I tried to look them up in the bug files but couldn't find them. Don't have a picture yet, will try to get one tomorrow.

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davesrq Sarasota, FL Sep 21, 2009

gulf frittilarys ? orange /black butterfly similiar to monarch.... eats up mine

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Ems_Garden Slidell, LA(Zone 8b) Sep 21, 2009

That's them! little buggers!! Now I don't know what to do! This is my first year growing passis and I have been waiting to see some blooms. I really really want my plants but I hate to kill the caterpillars, I love the butterflies too. Man oh man!!

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Sep 21, 2009

I'd probably leave them alone--Passiflora is a host plant for that particular species of butterfly. If the plant is really small and is in danger of being completely defoliated, then I'd probably remove them but otherwise every time you look at the munched on leaves just remind yourself of the pretty butterfly that you're helping!

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davesrq Sarasota, FL Sep 21, 2009

they do seem to destroy very small starts but they always come back....never lost a plant to them

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Ems_Garden Slidell, LA(Zone 8b) Sep 21, 2009

Well we will see what happens. Have decided to leave them alone. Hopefully the passis will recover. Thanks for the info!

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