The gulf fritillary is among my all time favorite butterflies because of the coloring and pattern is so different than the top of the wings.

We had two beauties emerge yesterday in our butterfly house, and one that just emerged today, taking our total to 30 successfully raised gulf fritillary butterflies.

The first photo I was so excited to capture, as she is portraying the complete underside of her wings.

This butterfly has been the champion in the garden since Hurricane Ian. I have witnessed a plethora of them enjoying both nectar and host plants. Lately I have been rounding up countless caterpillars to put into the butterfly house with its host plant. Right now we have 14 more chrysalis waiting to emerge and quite a few caterpillars still munching away.

This butterfly can be found in all 67 Florida counties. I have read that in the late summer, and even through the fall, a large number of adults will begin migrating south to peninsular Florida, as they overwinter in frost free areas.

This beauty was the second visitor to our garden once my daughter and I started creating a butterfly garden.