The Butterfly Dunes

Butterfly Life Cycles

Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes

“We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.” ― Carl Sagan, “Cosmos”

A large butterfly in the Florida warm seasons. This butterfly lays eggs on varieties of citrus and lime prickly ash trees. It’s a graceful butterfly and loves several nectar flowers.

“Dog and Butterfly”. Giant Swallowtail raised in captivity and released. This picture was taken with Mack, my garden buddy for 15 years.

The Giant Swallowtail is a common site in Florida gardens. They nectar on many types of flowers (Tithonia in this photo).
Nectar flower is Globe Amaranth
Giant Swallowtail on nectar of Drummond phlox.
Nectar flower Russelia sarmentosa
Male puddling for minerals in wet soil or manure required for mating.
Female searching for a place to lay eggs on Lime Prickly Ash
Caterpillar on Lime Prickly Ash
Larval host plant citrus
Larval host plant citrus
Caterpillar preparing to pupate into a chrysalis
Milkweed is the host for Monarchs, but most butterflies love the blooms!

Nectar flower is a Hibiscus

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Gulf Fritillary

Agraulis vanillae

“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