On Second Glance

I spoke too soon. A second look around revealed a Gulf fritillary caterpillar almost ready to make a chrysalis. Looks like we may have enough time for butterflies yet. My powers of observation are underwhelming.

The Butterflies are Late This Year

We have been waiting all summer for the Gulf Fritillary butterflies to show up. Over the last two weeks we have seen one or two at a time. None were laying eggs on the passion vine. Today I counted eight flying around, nectaring, flying in spirals around one and other, and then laying eggs on the passion vine.

We are approximately twenty days from our average first freeze. I don't know if the eggs will have enough time to hatch into caterpillars and grow large enough to make a chrysalis. An internet search did not reveal the length of time these flying flowers need to complete the egg/caterpillar/ butterfly transformation. I am afraid they were too late this year.

Here is a regular pomegranate next to my miniature fruit.

Isn't the little guy cute?