The pale green or cream eggs are laid singly on leaves and stems of host plants. The first through fifth instar larvae feed openly on the foliage. The full grown larva attaches itself by silk to the underside of a leaf, and changes into the resting stage which is called a chrysalis. The adults are active from July through the first heavy frost. The butterfly will enter through ventilation openings during daylight hours.
Pansies are the primary greenhouse crop that fritillary caterpillars feed on.
Pansies that are greenhouse grown for fall sales, are fed on from July through October in the southeast. The growth of these plants outdoors coincides with the flight activity of the fritillary butterfly. The larva also feeds on portulaca and sedum. The Florida fern caterpillar, Callopistria floridensis , family Noctuidae, occurs naturally in Florida and tropical America and can sometimes be found in greenhouses on ferns that were shipped from tropical regions. The caterpillars are active feeders and can rapidly defoliate a plant.