New Jersey Butterfly Club

Gulf Fritillary

Agraulis vanillae

Identification: Medium—2.8" (a little smaller than Great Spangled Fritillary, and with narrower wings). Above: FW and HW bright orange/red with limited black marks and a few small, white-filled, black spots on FWs. Below: HW brownish with many elongated silvery spots; orange flush shows on FW, which has silvery spots toward tip.

NJ Status and Distribution: Vagrant. A southern species that rarely strays north to NJ. Reported from Cape May County, 7/17-8/10/02 [multiple sightings of same individual], 7/13/08, 8/16/11, 9/24/11; Passaic County, 10/21/08; Ocean County, 8/13/11 and Morris County, 10/17/19.

Habitat: Usually seen in gardens with Passionflower.

Flight Period: Best chance to see one is in summer and fall.

Caterpillar Food Plants: Passion Flowers (Passiflora spp.)

Overwintering Stage: Caterpillar, but does not overwinter in NJ.

Good Locations: Gardens around Cape May Point.

Comments: A magnificent butterfly that is a real show stopper. Observations (especially with photo documentation) of this species should be provided to the NABA-New Jersey Butterfly Club.