Gulf fritillary among the larger, more colorful butterfly species in Texas

While there are numerous species of butterflies that are considered to be beautifully colored, it is usually only those that are colorful AND large that garner much attention from folks.

One such species is a common denizen here in Texas, and that species is the gulf fritillary.

The gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) is one of the most recognizable of the larger butterfly species that call Texas home. It can be observed throughout this state at one time of the year or another.

It thrives along open scrublands and wooded areas, as well as in well-decorated gardens. Outside of Texas, it occurs in the southern United States from California to Florida southward to southern Mexico.

The gulf fritillary is one of the more colorfully marked butterfly species that, in the opinion of many naturalists, is one of the most beautiful butterflies in the southwest.

The upper wings are distinctively bright orange and are adorned with a series of jet-black stripes and spots of various sizes.

One characteristic of this species that can be utilized to differentiate it from other fritillary species is the presence of three black-bordered white spots on the anterior of the upper wings.

When closed, the underwings are noticeably lighter than the upper wings and are decorated with black-bordered white and silver spots. The body itself is generally orange.

Males and females are sexually dimorphic from each other with females a much darker shade of orange than the males.

Additionally, females are the larger sex with mature adults having a four-inch-long wingspan.

Females also have a unique way of dispersing pheromones to attract males. These pheromones are attached to the abdomen in what are known as “stink clubs”. Males will oftentimes place their unique scent on these “stink clubs” to ward off other males.

This fritillary, like other butterfly species, undergoes a four-stage life cycle that can be described as nothing short of miraculous. In the beginning stage, their life begins as an egg, which hatches after a few short days into the next stage.

These eggs are yellow in coloration and clustered on the underside of passionvine leaves. Upon hatching, the larvae are known as caterpillars, and at this stage, the growth rate is highly accelerated.

Caterpillars can eat twice their body weight in a single day, and as such, grow quickly. As they grow, they literally grow out of their skins, and they shed their outer layer of skin up to five times (known as molting) before they enter the next stage of their life cycle.

These caterpillars are typically bright orange or orange-blue and are garnished with numerous small black spines. After the caterpillar finds a spot in which it feels is secure, it will pupate as it forms a protective shell about it known as a chrysalis.

Inside of this shell, the larvae changes into the butterfly that it will soon become. After about a week, the adult will emerge from this shell with its wings intact, although they are crumpled into small balls on the sides of the body.

The butterfly will then pump a clear fluid into the veins of their wings, causing them to expand much the same way a stick can reinforce a kite.

Upon reaching maturity, the gulf fritillary will immediately begin searching for food, water and a mate. After mating, the males will continue their search for other receptive females, while the females will begin to look for a site suitable to lay eggs, so the life cycle process can begin again.

This process can be repeated up to three times annually.

Gulf fritillaries are fond of the nectar and leaves of the various species of ornamental and native passionvines, as well as lantanas. It utilizes an appendage known as a proboscis to feed on these items.

The proboscis is long and almost threadlike, and in times of non-use is curled up under the head of the butterfly.

Look for this species in and around gardens that have been decorated with the host ornamental plants mentioned above.

They are most commonly seen during their times of feeding and copulation, and these events generally transpire during the months of April through August.

Michael Price is owner of Wild About Texas, an educational company that specializes in venomous animal safety training, environmental consultations and ecotourism. Contact him at wildabouttexas@gmail.com.