Posts Tagged: gulf fritillary
Pollen Power
The conversation usually starts like this: "I saw this huge, huge bumble bee with yellow on its back. It was buzzing like crazy." Often it's not a bumble bee, but the Valley carpenter bee, ...
Gold dust? No, this is pollen covering the thorax of this female Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, nectaring on the passionflower vine (Passiflora). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Pollen from the passionflower vine is brushing against this Valley carpenter bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Close-up of the Gulf Fritillary. Its host plant is the passionflower vine, Passiflora. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
In a Butterfly State-of-Mind
So here's this gravid praying mantis perched on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) in a Vacaville pollinator garden. She's in a butterfly state-of-mind, a picture of patience and persistence, a predator...
An unsuspecting monarch lands next to a Mexican sunflower occupied by a predator, a praying mantis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The monarch spots the praying mantis and in a winged frenzy, begins his escape. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The monarch escapes. A close call! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
It's time to practice some more patience and persistence. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
And Along Came a Wasp...
So here's this cute little reddish/orangish caterpillar munching away on a passionflower vine. It's Sunday and he's having Sunday dinner--after having Sunday breakfast and lunch and snacks in...
A European paper wasp, Polistes dominula, attacks a Gulf Fritillary caterpillar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The non-battle is over within seconds,as the wasp shreds the caterpillar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Trapeze style, the predator devours its prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The European paper wasp finishes off the rest of the caterpillar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Unseen World of Gulf Fritillaries
Let's celebrate the Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae). If you have a passionflower vine (Passiflora) in your yard, you've probably seen these spectacular orangish-reddish butterflies with...
Gulf Fritillaries mating in the passionflower vine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A newly laid Gulf Frit egg (on right) and an older Gulf Frit egg on the left. The egg is about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A hungry caterpillar getting its fill of passionflower vine, Passiflora. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A newly eclosed Gulf Fritillary hangs onto its chrysalis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, sips nectar from Lantana. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gotta Love Those 'Cats
You gotta love those 'cats. Gulf Fritillary caterpillars (Agraulis vanillae) are always hungry. They're as hungry as teenagers returning home from a marathon swimming meet or from a double-overtime...
Mirror image--Two Gulf Fritillary caterpillars crawl along a Passiflora stem, looking for food. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Always hungry, the Gulf Fritillary caterpillar is not one to turn down food. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Here we go! Wonder how much food is over there? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
When you're out of leaves, no worries. Next, eat the flower buds. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
If Gulf Fritillary caterpillars keep eating and manage to evade predators and diseases, they'll turn into spectacular orangish-reddish butterflies with silver-spangled underwings. This one is landing on a Passiflora blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)