where do butterflies come from? ::: syrinx

where do butterflies come from?

submitted by robertkamper on fri, 2008-07-11 10:22.

mature subject matter but no inappropriate graphic content; pictures after the "read more" link. Well, there is a picture of an egg...

Almost all of these pictures were taken on the same day, certainly within the same week. The Gulf Fritillary loves the Passion Flower vine - which hasn't quite started blooming here, but the caterpillars don't care...
Big orange wings with three white spots bordered with black near the front help to identify it:

In flight, looks a lot like a Monarch or Queen in color, markings and size:

It lays one bright yellow egg on a leaf of the passion flower vine.

Here we see two fat caterpillars and just above them a younger one on the shady underside of their food source.

Eventually the caterpillar pupates into a whitish-brown chrysalis before emerging as an adult.

And finally we have another adult. With wings closed, it is actually hard to see, especially in dappled shadows. Here the contrast is enhanced a bit and the butterfly is caught in the sunshine while stationary.