Posts Tagged: Agraulis vanillae
Red Passionflower Vine: Pretty But Poisonous?
If want to plant a passionflower vine (Passiflora)--the host plant of Gulf Fritillary butterflies...
A Gulf Fritillary foraging on a lavender passionflower vine, genus Passiflora. This is the Gulf Frits' host plant, they lay their eggs only on Passiflora. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gulf Fritillaries avoided this species of red passsionflower vine, Passiflora jamesonii, planted in the Garvey yard. Honey bees, however, did not. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Insect Wedding Photography-- Or How a Tired Ol' Male Proved He Wasn't
You're heard these idioms: The early bird gets the worm First come, first...
A newly eclosed female Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) hanging from her empty chrysalis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A tired old male, his wings tattered and torn, is the first to arrive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The action at the "altar": the newly eclosed female Gulf Fritillary and the tired old male. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Two Gulf Fritillary butterflies become one. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Two-Headed Butterfly?
There's an old joke circulating among entomologists about excited novices contacting them about...
Gulf Fritillaries (Agraulis vanillae) on their host plant, Passiflora, doing what nature intended. At the far right is a Gulf Frit caterpillar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Photo Two: The Gulf Fritillaries begin to spread their wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Photo Three: The reddish-orange wings of the Gulf Fritillaries are stunning. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Photo Four: The coloring and contrast of the silver-spangled and reddish-orange wings make it one of the showiest butterflies in California. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Photo Five: These butterflies engaged for about 10 minutes, while the photographer was there. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Photo Six: After the photographer captured this image, the butterflies separated and flew their separate ways. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ever Seen a Gulf Fritillary Laying an Egg?
Ever seen a Gulf Fritillary butterfly laying an egg? The Gulf Frit (Agraulis vanillae), an...
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae), an orangish-reddish butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, lays its eggs on its host plant, Passiflora. They often lay their eggs on the tendrils. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Silver-spangled wings of the Gulf Fritillary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Bee and the Butterfly
So here's this Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) clinging to a lavender stem in our pollinator...
A Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) clinging to a lavender stem in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee, seeking nectar from a lavender, buzzes a Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
It's up and over and away for the honey bee. Can't you see as big a thing as me? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gulf Fritillary heads for the nearby catmint patch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)