Fear the Fritillary!

This caterpillar looks formidable with its spiky bristles, but the bristles are not the main reason that smart predators give the gulf fritillary wide berth.  This little guy is poisonous!  How did the gulf fritillary acquire such an arsenal?  The old adage, "You are what you eat," provides the clue.  The larval gulf fritillary eats passionflower vine (also known as "maypop") almost exclusively.  And maypop is... poisonous.   Learn more about the fritillary by clicking the Read More link below.



The adult form of the species practically shouts its presence with its bright colors and speckles.  Such a display is intended to inform any hungry critters that it is poisonous.  The fake "eye" pattern on the underside of its wing tips also provide a defense:  predators may mistake its tail for its head and attack the wrong end, allowing the butterfly to make its getaway.  Find out more about the gulf fritillary and why it's not even a "true" fritillary at the FLorida Plant Database, Floridata and, of course, Wikipedia.

This picture of a gulf fritillary "oggling" a lantana is provided by Wikimedia Commons  - thanks for the "share and share alike" licensing.  Please note, however, that the lantana species, this insect is looking at is INVASIVE.  Whatever its original food was, the gulf fritillary has switched to a plant that no gardener should put in the ground.  Maybe because there are not enough of its original nectar source plants to consume.  There are sterile forms of lantana, identifiable by their mono-colored blooms.  But it's an open question whether the pollen from this variety is as useful to the butterfly as the non-sterile form.  If you know what plant the fritillary would eat instead of invasive lantanas, let us know and we'll put a few in the ground!