Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar

Description:

Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar

Habitat:

Purple Passionvine

Notes:

This is my first experience with Variegated Fritillaries. I found the Variegated Fritillary eggs May 19, 2012 on Purple Passionvine. The eggs are much smaller (half the size) of a Gulf Fritillary egg. It took almost a week for the eggs to hatch. It has taken a little over a month for the caterpillars to get this large. They are very slow growing!!! Once the caterpillars hatch, they are almost microscopic, and very difficult to find and keep up with, until they grow larger. They are less than half the size of a Gulf Fritillary hatchling.