Insect
Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillaeAlso known as Passion Butterfly
Gulf fritillaries are bright orange butterflies with elongated wings and striking, metallic silver spots on their undersides. They are highly active flyers, frequently seen fluttering around passion flower vines where females deposit their yellow eggs. The caterpillars are bright orange with black, branched spines, warning predators of the toxins they ingest from their host plant.
DiurnalMigratoryColorful
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPassionflower nectar, Lantana nectar, Zinnia nectar
Predators
- Birds
- Wasps
- Spiders
ThreatsHabitat loss, pesticide use, and severe winter freezes
HabitatsOpen fields, parks, gardens, pastures, and forest edges
Life span14 to 30 days as adults
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNymphalidae
- GenusDione
- SpeciesAgraulis 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 passionflower species to attract egg-laying females to your garden.
- Watch the Underside: Look for the brilliant, flashing silver spots when the butterfly closes its wings.
- Avoid Pesticides: Refrain from using chemical sprays on host plants to protect the caterpillars.
Look-alike no rights reserved, uploaded by adel-fridus · cc0
Host Plant (c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alex Abair · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Mystic Meadows
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