Last of Its Generation

Look, over there! It's Thanksgiving Week and there's a newly eclosed Gulf Fritillary on a tattered pink zinnia "that looks as it has seen better days," as my mother used to say. The orange of autumn exploding, the silver of yultide beckoning. Silver and bold... And here's an orange butterfly nectaring on a pink zinnia... We usually see all life stages of the Gulf Frits, aka "passion butterflies," on their host plant, the passionflower vine (Passiflora) from early summer to late fall in our...