Gulf fritillary caterpillar
Villa Olga, Santiago De Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
| Species | Genus | Family |
|---|---|---|
| Dione vanillae | Dione | Nymphalidae |
| Order | Class | Phylum |
| Lepidoptera | Insecta | Arthopoda |
The bright orange and black gulf fritillary butterflies nectar on all of the usual flowers which attract other species, but lay their eggs exclusively on passionflower vines. The larvae, which are shiny orange with black spines, feed on the leaves of passionflower vines which render them poisonous to predators. Gulf fritillary caterpillars are non-stinging if touched. The chrysalis resembles a dead leaf.[1]
