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I was in shock this morning. I had not realized my passion fruit vine was a banquet to cattepillars until I looked at it today.
Happy Gulf Fritillary catterpillars going crazy on my little vine.

Zoohome 8 Aug 24
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1

OH NO! I hope that's not what I find when I get home.

BitFlipper Level 8 Aug 26, 2019

It's ok, it will come back and you will have tons of butterflies 😁

2

I told you that when I gave it to you. As prolific a vine as it is, if not for the frits, you would be covered in it, they only eat the leaves. They just found it before it really got established. It will recover over the winter when the butterflies go into semi hibernation.

glennlab Level 10 Aug 24, 2019

Oh yeah, I don't mind at all. Makes me happy 🙂 I just did not realize how fast and drastic the consumption can be. Lol

@Zoohome August and September hatches are extremely agressive, they are anticipating cold snaps and bad weather and want to get to chrysalys as soon as possible. You'll find the chrysalys attached to anything that doesn't move, so check Thor out. Last year,most of my vines were stripped and i had at least 20K attached to my house. The will hatch out during the winter and some will hibernate as adults, they are very interesting. This is the reccovery photo from this spring

@glennlab hummmm.... I won't be able to babysit those chrysalis. Don't forget I am on my way to Austin. 😉

@Zoohome no need to babysit, just thought I'd warn Thor in cqase he falls asleep outside.

1

Amazing just how destructive these little worms can be. Nasturtium was the first flower I had success growing on my own from seed. A small green catapillar was attracted to these plants, and just like your passion fruit vine, they could eat all the leafy parts of the plant in no time.

RussRAB Level 8 Aug 24, 2019

It's kind of scary if you consider their size. 😱😂

3

Yes, the Passion Flower has at least two benefits. One is the flower itself, the other is that it'll give you lots of brown winged butterflies flying all over your yard and garden. Happy, happy!

2

Oh no! Your poor little vine! I sympathize. I draw them so often that I finally gave up on passion vine.

Lauren Level 8 Aug 24, 2019

I use the frit caterpillars as a control on mine, it has still taken over 150 feet of fenceline shrubs and surrounded my house.

@glennlab I'm envious - 150 feet! Mine were getting eaten up so quickly they never had a chance.

@Lauren you're welcome to some plants, I've got plenty to share. I'm in Dallas. The purple is not liked as much so tends to do better as a flowering plant, The blue is prefered for caterpillar food, but both act as good nectar plants. You will see some caterpillars on the purple, but no where near as many if some neighbor within a mile or two has the blue ones. My first plants went in in late Aug/early Sept, (12 years ago) so there is still time to plant this year.

@glennlab Thank you for the offer - and the multiple options! - but I'm afraid I don't have any space for them right now. That blue is gorgeous.

@Lauren yoo're welcome and thanks for the compliment.

3

Wonderful!!! This is what we always want to see. So glad you have one that the catterpillars love!!

The light blue they love, the purple they only like, but they will chose it. How are yours doing?

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