Bordered Patch Live Female

Bordered Patch butterflies can show considerable variation both in their caterpillars as well as in the adults.  This adult butterfly has orange bands whereas other adult butterflies have white bands and yet others have bands that are scarcely visible.  (Photo courtesy Nicky Davis.)

Sunflowers growing near Agricultural Areas

If you happen to find a lot of bordered patch butterflies flying, check nearby sunflowers for caterpillars.  This is one of their common host plants.

Looking for Bordered Patch Caterpillars

Looking for bordered patch caterpillars might seem a little intimidating; but the key is to look for unique skeletonizing patterns in the leaves as you see in this photo.  This photo shows the peculiarity of this feeding damage.  In situations where butterflies are super abundant, finding caterpillars can be very easy.

Bordered Patch Caterpillar Setup

After you find bordered patch caterpillars, it is advisable that you rear them on cuttings of sunflowers placed in a narrow-neck water bottle.  Make sure that you plug the entrance near the narrow neck of your water bottle so that sunflower stems go into the water; but, caterpillars can't crawl in and drown.  This photo shows thistles as opposed to sunflowers; but the principle is the same.

Bordered Patch Caterpillar Setup II

Placed bottled cuttings inside of 5 or 6 gallon bucket or similar.  Again, this and the next photo show thistles; but the idea is the same.

Bordered Patch Caterpillar Setup III

When taking care of caterpillars using this method, it is advisable to remove frass (caterpillar poop) every other day and replace cuttings every 4-5 days or when the host has been consumed by caterpillars.  It is very common to stumble upon 100+ caterpillars at a time, with this particular species of butterfly.  When they grow into later instars, taking care of THAT many caterpillars can become labor intensive.  You may want to consider giving some to friends or returning unwanted caterpillars back to their habitat.

Bordered Patch Third Instar Caterpillar

Bordered Patch Caterpillars Feeding Communally

Third instar bordered patch caterpillars.  Note that there is significant larval variation within populations of this butterfly.

Bordered Patch Fifth Instar Caterpillar

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Bordered Patch Caterpillar Prepupa

When a bordered patch caterpillar fifth instar larva has finished feeding, it will crawl underneath a sunflower leaf or stem and attach its end with silk (cremaster); essentially forming a 'J'.  A few days later it will molt its skin and form a chrysalis (pupate.) 

Bordered Patch Pupa

Bordered Patch Pupa Emerges

Collage of photos showing the development of a bordered patch pupa.  Make sure that you have attached the pupa to the lid of a small container so that it has room to expand and dry its wings.  (Photos courtesy Nicky Davis and me.)