Please Help Identify Passionflower Vine Caterpillar

[Nifty-Chicken]

We've got tons of these on our Passionflower vine... and it's getting devoured by them. Any ideas what they are?

They only seem to be going after the Passionflower vine, and nothing else in the garden / yard.

Once we figure them out, we'll determine if it's safe to feed them to the chickens, and then how to keep them away.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It's mostly toxic, looking it up.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I believe I've identified the Caterpillar.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

I believe I've identified the Caterpillar.

View attachment 2751397

Wow, great work!

I think that's the one

... and not so good for chickens

"The larvae, which are shiny orange with black spines, feed on the leaves of passionflower vines which render them poisonous to predators. "
https://wolfriver.org/news/posts/natural-highlights-gulf-fritillary-butterfly

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

(GF just corrected me.... Passionflower vine)

 

[MysteryChicken]

Wow, great work!

I think that's the one

... and not so good for chickens

"The larvae, which are shiny orange with black spines, feed on the leaves of passionflower vines which render them poisonous to predators. "
https://wolfriver.org/news/posts/natural-highlights-gulf-fritillary-butterfly

Definitely not a great snack for the birds.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

This was a good video:

 

[MysteryChicken]

This was a good video:

I wonder if those are related to the American painted lady butterfly. They make pretty much the same type of chrysalis, they're both Spiky.

I've seen both flying around.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

My GF will need to decide if she wants a optimally healthy vine or happy butterflies

Either way I'm hoping / expecting to see some chrysalis and take some pics!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Well, we ended up with a lot of these:

... and then a ton of these flying around, mating, and (assuming) laying eggs:

The GF is still struggling with how she wants to proceed.