Gorgeous male Spicebush! Keep us up to date on your white GF larva.

Sandy

Very interesting! definitely does not resemble a ZLW.

How is your Albino Gulf frit?

That is a gorgeous male SBST, Miss Sherry! I rarely see a "gaggle" of big swallowtails at one time nectaring on any specific plant, but I have seen up to 14 varied, fruit-feeders on my sole feeder in the garden. That must be spectacular. I have had my blue mistflower literally covered with Texas Crescents, skippers, and dayflying moths. But having those big swallowtails must be a sight to behold!

Thanks, Susan!
The albino cat went off its passionvine stem and molted, then went back to the leaves and has resumed eating, so eveything is fine.
Sherry

Is it still very white? What instar? Take pics of every stage and instar of its life cycle because you are the first to raise an Albino Gulf Fritilary. You can submit them to the NABA website

Edith at Shady Oak Farm in Florida found some albino gulf frit cats last year, so I e-mailed her to tell her about mine. I sent her the above picture, and she asked if she could use it on her e-mail updates, or whatever you call them - those of you who get her e-mails look for it! She also said that somebody in Georgia found a white gulf frit cat, too, so, although they're rare, I'm not the first. Still, I'll make pictures of the cat frequently.
Sherry

I have a passionvine that is always full of Gulf Frits. I am gonna look more frequently at them now. Will the butterfly be White too? I am guessing yes.

Apparently they have white eyes! and the coloration is a bit different.

Here is a link that might be useful: Albino Gulf Fritillary

He is really "vanillae"!!!

I'm looking forward to seeing those white eyes!
The caterpillar is growing steadily and needed more food this morning, so I cut a tender young sprig of leaves from the passi I found it on, which is P. Amethyst. I added some P. incarnata/maypops to the water pick with the 'Amethyst' because gulf frit cats seems to grow faster and bigger on it. If it eats the maypops first, I'll just keep feeding it maypops.
The leaves on my 'Amethyst' or 'Lavender Lady' don't look good - they're blotchy looking. The gulf frits that are on the vine seem to be eating the best leaves and growing okay, but I wonder, does anybody else's 'LL'/'Amethyst' have blotchy, unhealthy looking leaves? If I had to guess, I'd think they've got a virus. I've noticed this happens a lot with several of the hybrids I've tried, I can't recall any of the species, like P. incarnata, P. mucronata, having it. Not all hybrids look bad - 'Lady Margaret' is clean, but doesn't get that many eggs laid on it. 'LL'/'Amethyst' is blooming profusely now, and the flowers are gorgeous!
When the cat has grown a little more, I'll post another picture.
Sherry

The cat is already eating the P. incarnata - if only maypops/P. incarnata lasted beyond September, I wouldn't need other passionvines!
Sherry

Have you got P. cearulea (Blue Crown), MissSherry? The foliage is more substantial and for me, holds up better as a cutting than P. 'LL/Amethyst'. I have had my LL for about 10 years now and never had a virus or anything on it. It is pretty much pest and disease free so far. Anyway, the GFs really preferred the P. cearulea over the LL but I haven't been able to winter it over after 2 attempts. I'm sure you would do fine with it there, but it appears a bit borderline here altho touted as being hardy to zone 6.

I'm anxious to see your albino eclose!!

Susan