The Roma Bluffs World Birding Center is please to announce that another caterpillar has recently transformed into a butterfly. It is on view now, but soon this recent 'graduate' will be released into the garden to begin its new life with wings unfurled. The Gulf Fritillary Butterfly is one of the species known as true butterflies. Their antennae are smooth and end in a small club shape. As caterpillars, they have dramatic black and orange stripes, when they get older they add a bright royal blue stripes as well. Their stripes are highlighted by black brushy tufts that resemble the human spiked hairstyles. Their favorite foods are passion flower vines and may pops. The adults have bright orange upper wings with three distinctive white ringed black spots on the upper wings. The Underside of the wings are orange and black on the top with glorious black and iridescent markings on the lower wings. Common Name - Gulf Fritillary Scientific Name - Agaulis vanillai Size - 2.25 to 3.25 inches Host Plants - Passion Vines and May Pops Habitat - Deserts, woodland edges, brushy fields, city gardens Range - Resident in Southwest and Eastern United States, it will sometimes wander up to north to central USA. Outside of the United States it is found in Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. There is only one record of a Gulf Fritillary in Canada.
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