I think these gulf fritillary caterpillars are beautiful!
Although these guys are ravaging my Passiflora collection right now, it is nice to have them around. This one is nibling away at a Passiflora 'Lavender Lady.' Yesterday I counted 10 eggs on the last 3 leaves of one stem! Yikes.
Great photo! What kind of camera are you using? I have a
Sony DSC-707. It takes great photos but I can't get that close.
Can you tell me what kinds of passion vine you grow that the cats eat. I have lots of Maypop but want to grow some other kinds that still can be used as a host plant.
Thanks Paintedlady! I use a Nikon Coolpix 995 digital. I also used the 950 before using this one, that is...until I dropped it one day! Ughh. Anyway, the main reason I bought this camera was for its reviews on macro photography...and since I like insects, it was important that I get a camera with this feature. I have taken over 5000 macro digital images, and I think the Nikon does very well.
As for GF and passion vine species it will accept..I have seen oviposition on the following varieties in my garden:
-P. x belotti
-P. 'Lavender Lady'
-P. 'Jeanette'
-P. vitifolia
-P. caerulea (many varieties)
-P. 'Incense'
-P. 'Coral Glow'
I have yet to find any eggs or larvae on my P. mollisima, P. edulis or P. phoenicia (syn. P. alata 'Ruby Glow'). There is a definite preference for both P. caerulea, P. 'Jeanette' and P. 'Lavender Lady.' I have a friend in San Diego that has nothing but caerulea and he has as many GF's in the garden as he can manage!
Although I have observed GF's laying eggs on P. vitifolia, I don't think the larvae do very well - at least I have never found any on the plant - this may be because the leaves are not as soft as some of the other species so the caterpillars don't do as well.
I haven't tried maypop yet but hope to get this species someday (hint, hint LOL). Guy
Hey Bugguy, that is an AUBURN caterpillar! Wow, what a great picture. I must look at the Nikon if it can do that!
I was told when I bought my camera that if I needed to get closer I could buy an extension lens. When I went to get one, it turned out Sony don't make it, bummer. I haven't looked in to it any further.
The Maypop, P incarnata, started by it self in a weedy spot two years ago, I guess some birds planted it. It has since spread pretty good. The annoying thing about it is that it doesn't come up in the same place the next year. I planted some around my garden fence, it got stripped, and is now popping up 3 feet away from the fence. It doesn't bother me, but alot of people here think it's a weed. I have seeds if you want some. And I'm sure I will have plenty to dig up come spring. Email me if you want some.
P. Incarnata seems to be a favorite with them, but they will strip a Blue Bouquet/Botique first here. The passiflora has a defense against the frit cats, the vitifolia you will see has little "glands" along the leaves and calyxes that look like red bumps. These give off a sugary stbstance that draws ants. The ants eat the butterfly eggs. Some passifloras have an "egg mimic" bump on the leaf too. It looks just like a butterfly egg, the mama butterfly sees the "eggs" thinks that another bf has beat her there and moves on. Just a little FYI.
What a marvelous picture!! I've never noticed the grey stripes before. Course now I'm straining my poor eyes trying to see them in person. LOL!
Great info Cala!
I know that the fritillary and longwing caterpillars both will feed on the P. incarnata but on different parts of it. When I first planted my maypop, I only got frits. Now that it has grown and almost overtaken the front yard, I am getting some zebras too. I read somewhere about this or heard about it. Anyone remember or know?
Calla: I had never heard about the egg mimic. That's fascinating!
