I've never seen a butterfly lay eggs on dirt, but I have many times seen gulf frits and question marks lay eggs on various parts of the fence that the passionvine or hops vine they were apparently aiming for was growing on. Hopefully, the hatchling will be able to find its way to the hollyhock.
Sherry

Yeah the gulf frits lay just about anywhere, dirt, mulch, screens, side of the house. Always somewhere around passionvine, but probably not close enough to where the poor hatchling would ever make it. Very frustrating to see them do it, but not much I can do, except rescue the ones I do see. sigh

kelly