Porch Pansy: Butterflies: Part I - Monarch and Gulf Fritillary

I work in a large garden center in Cape Coral, Florida. With the large abundance of plants and a very respectful staff, there has been opportunity for a successful butterfly population. The first to arrive this past June were monarch butterflies.

Two Monarchs Mating on Milkweed

Butterflies have four life stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult. All butterflies have a host plant where they lay their eggs. This monarch lays her eggs on milkweed. You can see the small white egg at the tip of her abdomen, curved toward the plant.

The host plant is essential to nourishing the young larva or caterpillar. Once they have finished feeding, about two weeks, the monarch larva attaches to a different plant or object for the next stage, pupa.

The larva turns into a pupa where it begins its metamorphosis. In this amazing stage the mushy caterpillar encases itself with a hard pupa or cocoon for about 10 days. The initial pupa is green and darkens as the metamorphosis takes place inside it.

Monarchs are known for their migration from Mexico and Southern California to Canada and back, where it takes four generations of the monarch butterfly to make the full trip.

The butterfly emerges from the pupa for the final stage, adult. These two monarchs emerged from two cocoons next to each other.

Here in Florida, the abundance of host plants and food sources create a habitat for the monarch to thrive year round.

Gulf Fritillary

The next butterflies to take residence in the garden center were the beautiful gulf fritillary. This butterfly’s habitat ranges from Argentina, Central America, Mexico, Southern U.S and the Caribbean. Its common name derives from its migration over the Gulf of Mexico.

Two Mating Gulf Fritillary Butterflies

One host plant for the gulf fritillary larva is the purple passionflower vine.

The gulf fritillary lays their small yellow eggs on the vine.

The larva eats away at the passion vine. The bright orange color and black spikes warn predators of its toxicity.

Like the monarch, the gulf fritillary hangs upside down and sheds its skin revealing a pinkish body that hardens into a leaf-like form.

Gulf fritillaries inhabit meadows, gardens and open fields. Some of their favorite nectar sources include: drummond phlox, lantana, tall verbena and pentas.