"Perry Templeton" wrote in message t...
I have a good sized, healthy full Passion Flower. Lots of blooms. Then in
the last month, I noticed that the Gulf Fritillary butterfly has taken up
residence. Lots of caterpillars. They have eaten back to stems about 20%
of the Passion Flower. I realize that the Gulf Fritillaries and the Passion
Flower are a natural pairing, but will the caterpillars wind up killing
their own host plants?
Perry

My vine is in it's second year and did very well,covering about 16
feet of fence and has just stopped blooming this past week, but looks
like putting on new buds with this cooler weather; just had two blooms
yesterday. Also have several of the G F's and got photo of a pair
mating, and also have a number of little redish shiny caterillars and
wonder if these are the larva of the G.F. They sure are vociferous
munchers. They were drilling into the buds and ruined a lot of them
and i squashed a bunch before it occured to me,...duh.. that they may
be baby GF's. any one know?
thanks, leo/lee