Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

by AnnaJo Vahle

Title

Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Artist

AnnaJo Vahle

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

I saw this beauty outside the visitors center for the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. There were many types of butterflies in their open garden which attract some of the local wildlife such as this beauty. These are relatively common around this area. Of course, it is a subject that I am considering painting. I love the bright orange colors against the vivid greens.

Florida has over 170 species of native butterflies. They are found throughout Florida the year round. The Gulf Fritillary is bright orange with black markings on the tip side. It has three white dots at the leading edge of the forewings. The ventral surface of the wings is brownish orange with elongated iridescent silver spots.
This butterfly has a 2.5 to 3.75 inch wingspan. It uses passionflower vines as a larval host plant. The caterpillar is around 1.5 inches long. It is orange with black, forked spines.
Adults feed on various flowers including Lantana and Sheppard's needles. They frequent butterfly gardens, fields, roadsides and open woods.
Large number of gulf fritillary move from the northern reaches of their range in peninsular Florida. They do this in late summer and throughout the fall.

Uploaded

January 11th, 2015

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