A stroll through the garden this morning was pretty amazing. There were gulf fritillary butterflies fluttering about everywhere, laying eggs, resting, sipping on nectar, and this lovely mating pair.

When the male chooses his female he will do this very intriguing “wing clap” display right over the female. If the male captures the female’s attention, they will join together at their abdomens, providing the male with the opportunity to pass sperm to the female, according to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

The gulf fritillary butterflies lifespan can range from 14 to 27 days.

Check out my gulf fritillary butterfly page for more information, photographs of the life cycle. https://sweetbutterflybliss.com/gulf-fritillary/