Black Swallowtail caterpillar

CindiLou 8/4/2013, 1:07 pm

Daughter found this on her almost decimated parsley this morning. Now in a jar with some parsley to make a pupa...

Did this a couple of years ago with a buckeye. I enjoy them learning this way. The youngest was really upset that I took his caterpillar lol..

Black Swallowtail caterpillar Lavea10

**camprn** 8/4/2013, 1:40 pm

Nice! you sill soon have a beautiful butterfly and I have confidence that the parsley will bounce back.

herblover 8/4/2013, 4:47 pm

I had a pair on my parsley which have now hatched from their pupae. Since I have plenty of parsley, I had no problem sharing it with baby butterflies.

carmelita 8/4/2013, 11:40 pm

Oh my! You have no idea how quickly those little cuties will devour your parsley. Last year mine was gone in only one day and it never bounced back. Good luck.

cheyannarach 8/5/2013, 12:11 am

Oh fun! I have told my kids that if we find butterfly catepillars we can keep them and watch them turn into butterflies but all we ever find is cutworms and cabbage worms who soon find their way to a bucket of soapy water!

CindiLou 8/6/2013, 12:00 am

Brought it in..put it in container..daughter goes to store...TO BUY PARSLEY FOR A CATERPILLAR! rofl

It has now chomped through half that bunch...hope it makes it's pupa soon! Parsley is a pain to have to buy lol..

I hope hers comes back..it still has a few leaves.

herblover 8/6/2013, 8:52 am

I you have dill, carrot tops or can pick some wild queen anne's lace they will eat those also.

CindiLou 8/7/2013, 1:33 pm

It formed the pupa overnight. Guess it develops for 2-3 weeks.

Black Swallowtail caterpillar Img_2010

**camprn** 8/7/2013, 1:41 pm

Well, that's pretty darned cool!

**sanderson** 8/7/2013, 4:49 pm

+1 Cool. Plus you don't have to buy parsley anymore.

CindiLou 8/7/2013, 6:33 pm

Nope..no more parsley to buy lol..

The little boys are all excited. Rolling Eyes

WriterCPA 8/8/2013, 3:35 pm

How much parsley do these guys eat? I found two living on my coriander. Since my herbs have not done well, I'm not feeling generous. Is there anything they'll eat in my flower garden? I'd love to have the stunning butterflies they will become, but I really don't want to lose more of my garden.

Pox 8/12/2013, 2:49 pm

I went out to pick some parsley two days ago and wondered what had happened to my thriving parsley. A close look revealed quite a few of these (as in a few dozen) about an inch long, or less. Two days later they are twice as large or larger, have just about worked their way thru the parsley and are now moving on to the carrots.

I'm about to redo all these beds before planting season (just around the corner here in Miami) so I'm living with the sacrifice and hope to watch them pupate and hatch. But they are voracious. If you see some, I would suggest keeping a close eye if you actually want to have any parsley.

**camprn** 8/12/2013, 3:04 pm

Pox wrote:I went out to pick some parsley two days ago and wondered what had happened to my thriving parsley. A close look revealed quite a few of these (as in a few dozen) about an inch long, or less. Two days later they are twice as large or larger, have just about worked their way thru the parsley and are now moving on to the carrots.

I'm about to redo all these beds before planting season (just around the corner here in Miami) so I'm living with the sacrifice and hope to watch them pupate and hatch. But they are voracious. If you see some, I would suggest keeping a close eye if you actually want to have any parsley.

I try to plant extra of the stuff that they like. Good luck with your pets and your garden! Wink

Pox 8/12/2013, 3:05 pm

Yes, I am thinking along the same lines as I would like to have both; butterflies and eats!

carmelita 8/12/2013, 4:22 pm

Last evening my grown daughter and I clipped the parsley twigs so she could take all the little caterpillars to school. She teaches 4 year olds. The school provided a 'Butterfly Pavillion' to allow the children to watch as the caterpillars grow and change. And yes, after dinner I had to make a parsley run to get the little critters their school lunch. Sheesh!

CindiLou 8/19/2013, 7:25 pm

A beautiful butterfly greeted us this morning.

Black Swallowtail caterpillar Rsdsc_12

The boys got to see it sitting out warming up in the sun before they left for first day of school year! Science lesson in real life!

Black Swallowtail caterpillar Rsdsc_10

**camprn** 8/19/2013, 7:59 pm

Now that is terrific!
What a Face

WriterCPA 8/19/2013, 9:35 pm

Gorgeous!

Triciasgarden 8/19/2013, 9:52 pm

Oh that is beautiful, well done! That is great you got pictures so your kids can see them for many years to come!

Pox 8/20/2013, 8:59 am

That is just awesome. Thanks for sharing.

dstack 9/11/2013, 4:25 pm

I LOVE these caterpillars! I first discovered these this past Spring on my fennel. I had so much fennel and I had read that if those caterpillars show up to let them eat what they want. I was so glad I did! It was such an awesome experience watching these transform and take their first flight!

Here's one on my fennel fresh from its cocoon... Black Swallowtail caterpillar Black_10

Pox 9/11/2013, 6:26 pm

Likewise, when I found them I let them go to town. Never did see where they were pupating, but found this guy early one morning.

Black Swallowtail caterpillar 2013-012

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