These are Gulf Fritillaries. Their host plats are passionvines, such as Careula, Incarnata or Maypops, Suberosa, and others. If you want to raise them inside so your children can watch them, this is what I would do. If you can find an old aquarium with a screen lid, you can turn it on its side, cut some of the vine with the cats on it and put the end in water using a cup with a lid that has a small enough opening so that the cats can't get inside. I use the Starbucks cup that cold drinks come in with the slit opening. Put a paper towel in to catch the frass (poop) and it also helps to either put in a stick or something for the cats to make their chrysalis (moths make coccoons, butterflies go through instars as they grow and molt and the last is the chrysalis stage)on. Sometimes they will go to the top of the aquaarium. I use a sprig of artifical flowers. People have lots of ways to raise them inside so you will probably get other ideas. If you go to the library or bookstore, look for the Florida's Fabulous Butterflies book. It is a great one for our state and easy for kids to use. It explains the process. The timeframe is about 4-5 days as eggs, 10-14 days as cats, and about the same for chrysalis.

The spines are not poisionous, however, when I do presentations or when I had them in my classroom, I would not let the kids handle the ones with spines. Zebra Longwings, who also use the Passionsvines(they like it in the shade) do iritate my skin when I brush up against them. So I don't take a chance.