need of Gulf Fritillary

[Mike Roberts]

Not much help, but I just visited an herb nursery east of San Diego (Flinn
Springs/Dunbar area), and there were larvae all over the Passiflora.

Good luck,

Mike Roberts

>What Rick wrote may be true, but there is something else you should
>consider: the gulf fritillary is pretty frost-sensitive.  For that
>reason, it should be kept in a controlled-temperature environment,
>especially this winter, with temperatures that won't fry or freeze it.
>Likewise the passionvine itself.  Talk about the larval host, there is
>one species on which the female will oviposit, but which is not ideal for
>the larvae (so I have heard).  I use the blue crown passionvine,
>Passsiflora caerulea.
>
>If you are looking for larvae *now*, as seems to be the case, go
>somewhere that has fairly mild winters somewhere where there are several
>large passionvines where you can gain access to the vines without
>needing permission to collect.  Needing information on passionvines, I went
>to a large nursery in northern San Diego County; finding caterpillars, I
>inquired and was instantly given permission.  Of course, I did not take
>any foliage since I was heading home immediately and had abundant foliage
>on the back fence.
>
>--
>Pierre Plauzoles   ae779 at lafn.org
>Canoga Park, California