How do I protect my passionflower vines from being stripped bare by gulf fritillary caterpillars?

Answer 1

Plant more vines. The butterflys are worth it.

You can hand pick them. Best option.

maybe try some Bt spay.

Plant some parasitic wasp attracting plants. Most wildflowers (native to your area) will do. Cilantro I think is one. Yarrow.

Do NOT use and pesticides. Just a yucky thing to do.

Answer 2

Nature has set it up so that if the caterpillars do a number on the vine, next year it will be bigger and better....if you're where it is perennial, that is.... if it's annual, there's no biggie, it's about to poop out for winter anyways..........and if you're using it for a decorative vine, you might want to consider another vine for there that the 'pillers don't love so much!....I have fennel... and it's stripped bare some years by the 'pillers from black swallowtails... and each year, it, too, is bigger and better!!!.... the two, the vine and the caterpillars are symbiotic... one helps the other... it's meant to be.... I'd be afraid that if I kept the 'pillers off it, it wouldn't do well... especially if I used some nasty spray on the bugs.... your choice of course, but the butterflies are well worth the little that we lose in vine.....

Answer 3

Passionflower Vines are strong will to live plants. The caterpillars will not kill the vine.

Answer 4

Daves Garden Forum
Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/9/
You might want to read about them before you get rid of them.
PASSION FLOWER AND ITS ASSOCIATED BUTTERFLIES
http://www.stetson.edu/~pmay/woodruff/passiflora.htm
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seems to be more positive about leaving the ugly little buggers in order to enjoy the beautiful butterflies later on.
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