Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae) is in the Brush-footed Butterflies family (Nymphalidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 152,711 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Gulf Fritillary: observations by month (U.S.)
About Gulf Fritillary
The Gulf fritillary or passion butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) is a bright orange butterfly of the family Nymphalidae and subfamily Heliconiinae. That subfamily was formerly set apart as a separate family, the Heliconiidae. The Heliconiinae are "longwing butterflies", which have long, narrow wings compared to other butterflies. Gulf fritillary is the only member of genus Agraulis.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Gulf Fritillary by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 55,722 | October | Jun–Nov |
| Florida | 27,786 | October | Mar–Nov |
| California | 21,321 | September | Jun–Nov |
| Georgia | 10,305 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Alabama | 8,258 | September | Aug–Oct |
| South Carolina | 5,193 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Tennessee | 4,974 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Louisiana | 4,254 | October | Jul–Nov |
| North Carolina | 3,787 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 3,118 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Arizona | 2,292 | September | Mar–Dec |
| Hawaii | 2,022 | January | Dec–Nov |
| Mississippi | 1,874 | October | Aug–Nov |
| Arkansas | 791 | October | Aug–Nov |
| Kansas | 252 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Kentucky | 248 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Virginia | 197 | October | Sep–Oct |
| New Mexico | 110 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Missouri | 96 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Colorado | 23 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Nebraska | 12 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Indiana | 9 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Illinois | 8 | September | Sep–Nov |
| Maryland | 8 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Ohio | 8 | September | Aug–Nov |
| Nevada | 6 | October | Oct–Nov |
| New York | 6 | May | May–May |
| Delaware | 5 | July | Jul–Sep |
| District of Columbia | 5 | July | Jul–Jul |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related butterflies (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Photography tips
- Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
- Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
- Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gulf Fritillary?
Nationally, October has the most observations, with the main season from July to November.
Where is Gulf Fritillary most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Florida, California.