I posted that the Swallowtails loved our zinnias, and now the Fritillaries are feasting on them, too. We have three passion vines (Passiflora incarnata) that are heavy with Fritillary instars, so it doesn't seem we will run out of butterflies any time soon!
I was on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten and observed butterflies in a Butterfly Conservatory feeding on slices of fruit. I was told they prefer the fruit because as it ferments it produces alcohol. The inebriated creatures would fly in an erratic pattern often avoiding the birds trying to catch it for lunch. http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/garden-image.php?image_id=56303&user_id=10953 Jerry
Great pic Jane. I like Frits because of their silver spots on the undersides of their wings...they look so affluent, as if they have jewellery on. hahaha. Yeah Jane, it takes a crooked mind like mine to see that. BTW--that zinnia looks like it has extra petals--a real beauty.