Hi there gardening friends! Just wanted to post here to get some advice.
Me and my partner walked outside today and immediately noticed this sweet little guy hanging out in my passion flower plant's leaves. Upon doing more research I found out its a passion butterfly who has chosen my plant as a host plant. I am very familiar with passion flowers bevause they are also native to TN, however, I don't ever really remember seeing a caterpillar like this one growing up around my home despite always loving them.
I am really excited about this little guy as it's been a long time since I have gotten to see the lifespan of a pollinator in action and I know the plant will be fine. I have a couple pods from it anyways, so if they happen to be too hungry, I can also grow another from the seeds.
I guess my question is, why is it here? Lol
Have y'all noticed a lack of previously exsisting pollinators around your neck of the woods? Is there anything else I can do to ensure its wellbeing while in my care?
Also when and how should I best plant the pods I have from my plant? I haven't gotten amazing success the couple times that I have tried before.
I know the passion butterfly is not necessarily super high up on the extinction list, but I am also aware that the climate is changing and by default, so are migratory patterns in insects as well as wild life and that pollinators need our help to continue to survive as pollution worsens.
Just trying to do my part to be a good caregiver to our earth.
Thank you to anyone who might be able to help me and thank you for taking the time to read this!
by AssociateEffective14
1 Comment
Simple answer is a gulf fritillary butterfly laid eggs on or near your Passiflora and they hatched. This just means you’ve successfully created a habitat for these guys and you’ll see them more and more as the plant matures. I just planted a baby one in my yard and the nursery told me to expect it to be eaten bare but that it would survive.