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Return to Life Cycle Studies of Lower Rio Grande Valley Butterflies
On 8/29/2013, I observed a Mexican Fritillary - Euptoieta
hegesia meridiana laying eggs, singly, on Damiana -Turnera diffusa aphrodisia that is in our front
yard. I have observed many Mexican Fritillaries laying eggs on this same plant for the past few years, and decided it
was time to do a life cycle study on this butterfly. The study took a full 60 days from egg laying to emergence. After
a little over 3 weeks, the caterpillar decided to quit eating and began to shrink. I remembered that Barry Nall had
said they also fed on Passiflora foetida, so I decided to feed the passionflower to the caterpillar. I did
not have much P. foetida on my trellis, and I was very glad when the caterpillar finally made a "J'. There
is nothing very exciting about a Mexican Frit's life cycle, but its golden-tipped chrysalis has to be one of the most beautiful
in the world; unfortunately, camera flash takes a lot away from what you can see with the naked eye.
All photos on this site are by Jan Dauphin and are copyright protected
and may not be used or published elsewhere without the permission of Jan Dauphin
Damiana or Hierba del Venado - Turnera
diffusa is the caterpillar food plant or host plant for the Mexican Fritillary - Euptoieta hegesia meridiana.
Damiana grows sparsely in the drier areas of the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Starr, Hidalgo, and occasionally Cameron
Counties. Damiana is a low growing, woody shrub with tiny yellow flowers. Turnera ulmiflora or Cuban
Buttercup, with larger yellow flowers and leaves, is not a Texas nor LRGV native, but has been introduced by the nursery trade
from Florida to our area and is, also, a caterpillar food plant for Mexican Fritillaries. Passiflora foetida or
Fetid Passionflower or Corona de Cristo is a suspected host plant for Mexican Fritillaries, also.
8/29/13. A Mexican Fritillary was seen laying
eggs on Damiana - Turnera diffusa in our Mission, Hidalgo Co. yard. Mexican
Fritillaries are a common butterfly in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
8/29/13. Day-1 egg laid.
8/30/13. Day-2 from when the egg was laid.
9/1/13. Day-4 from when the egg was laid. Egg
is darkening, so the caterpillar should be close to eclosing.
9/2/13. Day-5 from when the egg was laid. Caterpillar
has eclosed, beginning Day-1 as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 2mm long.
9/7/13. Day-10 from when the egg was laid. Day-6
as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 4mm long.
9/13/13. Day-16 from when the egg was laid. Day-12
as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 6mm long.
9/19/13. Day-22 from when the egg was laid. Day-18
as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 9mm long.
9/25/13. Day-28 from when the egg was laid. Day-24
as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 8mm long. NOTE: The caterpillar quit feeding on Damiana
on 9/21/13 and stayed at 8mm. On 9/23/13, I began feeding it Passiflora foetida - Fetid Passionflower or Corona de Cristo. The caterpillar ate the P.
foetida but its length remained at 8mm through 9/25/13. I will continue to feed it P.
foetida, exclusively.
10/1/13. Day-34 from when the egg was laid. Day-30
as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 14mm long.
10/7/13. Day-40 from when the egg was laid. Day-36
as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 24mm long.
10/13/13. Day-46 from when the egg was laid.
Day-42 as a caterpillar. The caterpillar is 42mm long.
10/17/13. Day-50 from when the egg was laid.
Day-46 as a caterpillar. The caterpillar has formed a "J".
10/18/13 at 1312hrs. Day-51 from when the egg
was laid. The caterpillar making a chrysalis, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.
10/18/13 at 1314hrs. Day-51 from when the egg
was laid. The caterpillar making a chrysalis, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.
10/18/13 at 1314.5hrs. Day-51 from when the egg
was laid. The caterpillar making a chrysalis, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.
10/18/13 at 1315hrs. Day-51 from when the egg
was laid. The caterpillar making a chrysalis, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.
10/18/13 at 1407hrs. Day-51 from when the egg
was laid. The caterpillar making a chrysalis, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.
10/18/13 at 1605hrs. Day-51 from when the egg
was laid. The caterpillar making a chrysalis, beginning Day-1 as a chrysalis.
10/24/13. Day-57 from when the egg was laid.
Day-7 as a chrysalis.
10/26/13 at 1142hrs. Day-59 from when the egg
was laid. Day-9 as a chrysalis.
10/27/13 at 0741hrs. Day-60 from when the egg
was laid. Day-10 as a chrysalis. The chrysalis is starting to turn dark, so emergence will be soon.
10/27/13 at 0844hrs. Day-60 from when the egg
was laid. The butterfly has emerged and is drying and filling its wings.
10/27/13 at 0847hrs. Day-60 from when the egg
was laid. The butterfly has emerged and is drying and filling its wings.
10/27/13 at 0929hrs. Day-60 from when the egg
was laid. The butterfly is ready to be released.
10/27/13 at 0932hrs. Day-60 from when the egg
was laid. The Mexican Fritillary has been released on the same Damiana, in the front yard, where the egg was laid.
10/27/13 at 0936hrs. Day-60 from when the egg
was laid. The Mexican Fritillary has been released on the same Damiana, in the front yard, where the egg was laid.
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