The Gulf Fritillary Butterfly are at their peak population size between August and November and are found throughout Southern United States. They enjoy sunny, open spaces which is where I saw this one fluttering about amongst some wildflowers.
Before it becomes a butterfly the larvae is bright orange with black spikes all around. You will most like see the caterpillar on it’s host plant, passion vine. While passion vine is poisonous to most insects, the Gulf Fritillary is able to digest the leaves with no harm from the poisons. The Gulf Fritillary Butterfly expels a strong, stinky scent from glands on it’s abdomen when disturbed that wards against unwanted predators.
My iNaturalist post can be found here.
References:
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/gulf_fritillary.htm
http://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2015/2/23/beautiful-but-stinky-gulf-fritillary-iagraulis-vanillaei