Insect · GBIF taxon 11701883
Gulf Fritillary
Dione vanillaeAlso known as Passion Butterfly
Gulf fritillaries are striking orange butterflies known for the bright silver spots decorating the undersides of their wings. Their caterpillars feed almost exclusively on passionvines, sequestering toxic chemical compounds that render both larvae and adults distasteful to predators. Flitting through sunny gardens, fields, and forest edges, adults spend warm days sipping nectar from a wide variety of flowers.
PollinatorColorfulMigratory
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Passionvine leaves
- Flower nectar
Predators
- Birds
- Lizards
- Spiders
ThreatsPesticide application, loss of host plants, severe winter freezes
HabitatsSubtropical gardens, parks, open fields, coastal scrub, forest edges
Life span2–4 weeks as adults
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyNymphalidae
- SpeciesDione vanillae
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Plant Passionvines: Grow native Passiflora species to attract egg-laying females to your yard.
- Avoid Chemical Sprays: Keep host and nectar plants pesticide-free to support fragile caterpillars.
- Spot Basking Adults: Look on sunny afternoons for butterflies resting with wings spread open.
Host Plant (c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alex Abair · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Dennis White · cc0
Co-occurring Relative (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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