Monarch, right?

busygirl 6/17/2011, 7:00 pm

I am correct in identifying this little dude as a Monarch and leaving him alone, right? Thanks.

Monarch, right? Img_0028

ModernDayBetty 6/17/2011, 7:26 pm

It does not look like a monarch to me. Google search for picture. Monarch butterflies are actually nasty tasting (if I remember correctly even poisonous) to it's predators. There is a caterpillar/butterfly that mimics the Monarch. I can't remember the name of that butterfly but that's what it looks like to me. The stripes are just slightly different. Noticable differences to us if we look at them side by side but less noticeable to predators.

As far as what they will do to your garden... I don't know. I only know the above information from entomology in college.

**camprn** 6/17/2011, 7:28 pm

Nancy will be along soon and let you know what it is and how to care for it. Very Happy

my guess is swallowtail.

busygirl 6/17/2011, 7:45 pm

camprn wrote:Nancy will be along soon and let you know what it is and how to care for it. my guess is swallowtail.

Cool. It didn't quite look like the pics I found, either (the Monarch seemed to have a difference in the bands, but I didn't get a good enough angle to be sure). I remembered something about butterflies and dill here, so I didn't mess with him, just ran in to get the camera. Now that you say swallowtail, that sounds right. Lemme search the archive.....

Of course...Swallowtail/dill (in my defense, monarchs are mentioned in the thread, too)

At least I remembered enough not to smash him. Embarassed

I will still wait for Nancy for the final verdict and future instructions.

**camprn** 6/17/2011, 7:54 pm

Last year I had 4 of these guys get to my mid-season, half grown dill. I let them have at the 2 plants that had survived. After they had been on the plants for maybe a week and had their fill, they went on to the next stage of their life and my dill totally recovered by seasons end. Very Happy

BackyardBirdGardner 6/17/2011, 8:28 pm

I thought the imitation to the Monarch was the Victory or Viceroy or something close to that. Granted, one is a pack of smokes, but it's still close.

**camprn** 6/17/2011, 8:38 pm

Here are some side by side photos of butterfly caterpillars.

ModernDayBetty 6/17/2011, 8:55 pm

camprn wrote:Here are some side by side photos of butterfly caterpillars.

That first caterpillar is freaky and cool! :o) Thanks for sharing!

**camprn** 6/17/2011, 9:12 pm

krazikandiland wrote:
camprn wrote:Here are some side by side photos of butterfly caterpillars.

That first caterpillar is freaky and cool! :o) Thanks for sharing!

The funny thing is, I think the 'eyes' are on the rear end of the caterpillar. Shocked

busygirl 6/18/2011, 8:15 am

Found these guys this morning. That makes three so far!

Monarch, right? Img_0030

Denese 6/18/2011, 1:14 pm

Here are some side by side photos of butterfly caterpillars.

Looking at those photos, it looks like a black swallowtail. Hopefully nancy will know for sure.

nancy 6/18/2011, 2:24 pm

Great photos!! He is a swallowtail. How exciting!! I haven't seen any swallowtail cats yet. This is how he will look as an adult:

(I don't know for sure it is male - I just tend to do that.) Cool

busygirl 6/18/2011, 2:32 pm

There is at least one in my carrots, too. Can I relocate it to the dill without bothering anything? That makes 4 total so far, but I haven't checked real close yet.

nancy 6/18/2011, 2:36 pm

Yes, they will be happy on the dill as well. Sometimes their "pruning" will encourage new growth, too.

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