Corralitas Drive: Gulf Fritillary

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 6, 2015.  Gulf Fritillary caterpillars tend to be much smaller than you think they'd be.  This was one of the larger ones at 1 1/2" and was chowing down on the Passion Flower vine in the backyard.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 6, 2015.  Gulf Fritillaries are bright orange on top with 3 silver spots on their wings that catch the sunlight. The underside of their wings is a marvel of camouflage to look like dead stems. 

There's a lot of competition for what is left of the Passion Flower vine.  While I was shooting these photos the butterflies kept chasing each other off of the plant.