The Butterfly Dunes

A photographic journal of a Central Florida wildlife habitat created for butterflies, caterpillars, bees, hummingbirds, and other insects that inhabit this area.

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I am a gardener in Florida who maintains a wildlife habitat to sustain butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, birds, and insects. Host plants are grown to sustain butterfly caterpillars for this area. Flowers are grown to provide nectar for pollinators.

The Gulf Fritillary Life Cycle

“The butterfly does not look back at its caterpillar self either fondly or wistfully; it simply flies on.” —Guillermo del Toro

Gulf Fritillary on a Cone flower
Mating
Eggs on host plant, Passiflora incarnata (Passion vine)
Passion vine blooms
Passion vine bloom
Gulf Fritillary caterpillar
Gulf Fritillary butterfly that has just eclosed (emerged) from its chrysalis.
Mating
Gulf Fritillary eating a passion vine bloom
Males are vibrant orange.
Gulf Fritillary Sanctuary filled with wildflowers and their host plant, passion vine.
Gulf Fritillary caterpillars will leave the host plant to shed (caterpillars do this about 5 times as they grow.
Gulf Fritillary on a cone flower.

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” — Albert Einstein

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