Knowledgebase

Caterpillar #941619

Asked August 05, 2026, 2:03 PM EDT

Can you please tell me what kind of caterpillar this is?

Frederick County Maryland

Expert Response

This looks like a Variegated Fritillary caterpillar, one of our native and widespread butterfly species. This species uses both wild violets and passionflower vines as its caterpillar host plants (among a few other plants), compared to other Fritillary species that only feed on violets. It's hard to get a sense of scale in the photo, but it appears to be full-grown, which means it may be wandering off to find a place to pupate (form its chrysalis). Caterpillars often leave their host plant when ready to pupate, so they are less easy for predators to find while they are in that very vulnerable state and unable to escape. In doing so, they can travel many feet away from wherever they were feeding, so it might be hard to tell where it came from if you don't have any of its host plants in your garden.

Miri
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 05, 2026, 2:26 PM EDT
Thanks!

On Wed, Aug 5, 2026, 2:26 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied August 05, 2026, 3:10 PM EDT
You're welcome!
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 05, 2026, 3:22 PM EDT

Loading ...