“Such fragile wings”
~ Jim Harrison from Songs of Unreason
HOST
With childlike verve
she leaps
from the soil, arabesques
sunward to embrace
synthesize all the power
of Sol
into her scented corona
sending secreted signals
to her mate

Gulf Fritillary
hears, senses
arrives on
such fragile wings
© Jilly’s All Rights Reserved
The pass flora incarnate, passion flower, in all its exotic beauty, serves as the host plant to the beautiful orange Gulf and Variegated Fritillary butterflies who lay their eggs on the vine. The hatched caterpillars exfoliate the host, spin their cocoons on the plant and the cycle continues. Fortunately, the passion is prolific and returns with, well… passion.