I have spent the last few days in the garden cutting back some plants, pulling weeds and getting the area ready for new additions. This gulf fritillary in particular has become a “friend,” if you will. Every time I am in the garden, no matter what time of day, it flies fairly near and lands on either the ground, or one of the stepping stones close by. I know it is the same one because of its hurt wing.

The gulf fritillaries are among my favorite, just for their unique wings. The population of these butterflies is going to explode in the garden soon as there are tons of eggs on both of its host plants, the corkystem passionvine and maypop passionvine, as well as caterpillars newly hatched to ones that are almost ready for its chrysalis. Of course, my daughter collected many caterpillars, along with the host plant and put them in the butterfly house.