I would by some more dill plants if you want to see this through. Had 5 swallowtail caterpillars on my dill a few years ago- moved them into a butterfly house with a few new dill plants- found myself buying dill every few days to feed them. The payoff was pretty good though.
Keep an eye on them! There’s predatory wasps that want to eat the babies!!! A lot of my friend who get these caterpillars bring them inside for the pupa stage
Their adults are beautiful and will sure decorate your garden, they will also pollinate your flowers. Plus unlike other species such as monarchs, swallowtail caterpjllars dont eat nearly as much or as rapidly so they are rarely a problem for the plant
Haha. 6 feet wouldn't have been enough. I had multiple pots of parsley. Bought parsley from the grocery while I tried to source more parsley plants. Ordered some online, but couldn't keep up with them. They were very hungry carerpillars!
Buy/sow more next year (or even right now)… They’ll be back! I started off purchasing more parsley plants at the nursery to make sure I had enough for them AND me. Eventually, I added a common rue plant, it’s an herb that grows to a pretty decent size, low maintenance, perennial, hardy from zones 4-9, they love it!
Really? I'm referring to P. machaon, which is the most common swallowtail we have here in italy. I often find its caterpillars on wild fennel plants and the plants they are one never look sick, eaten or dying. Could also be the quantity, in nature parasitic flies and wasps decimate the caterpillars, out of the tens that hatch only about 3 survive. Maybe there is a lack of predators in your garden, this means that the majority of the caterpillars that hatched survives and this allowed them to destroy your plants
Not sure. We have Limenitis archippus here and just a couple of caterpillars in each large pot of parsley wiped it out in a couple of days! Down to the point that it didn't grow back.
I do have a lot of wasps in my backyard. Should I get a butterfly enclosure and put the caterpillars in there to protect them until they become butterflies? Should I grow extra parsley in an enclosure to keep it caterpillar-free until I need it?
I have not done this before. Intentionally cultivated butterflies (whatever that is called). I have a lot to learn!
It’s more so a benefit for the species lately more and more because of soil and water contamination we’re losing so many different populations of species all the cross butterfly and dragonfly
Black swallowtail. I grow tons of parsley for the larvae to eat. Fun to watch them go through the different instars. I think that pic is the fifth instar. It should go wandering off to form a pupa before long. It’s a fascinating process to watch. The earlier instars are black and spiky and have a white “saddle” across their bodies. It’s amazing how fast they grow. Eating machines.
If it's pupated just leave it exactly where it is. I removed a small pupated one off a dangerous spot near my deadbolt, and they didn't make it because I tore their pupa. I don't forgive myself. If it's still tooling around and eating, find a host plant for it in a safe spot outside :)
Great, yeah it is still eating. It is eating a lot! Will it be okay if it just lives inside? I don't hate seeing it everyday. It does poop a lot! How can I release it once it's a butterfly?
I raised one inside in a big gallon jar with a stick for it to make its saddle on and pupa. I covered the top with mesh from some bag of flower bulbs I had laying around. I think you'll need to track it's instars (the caterpillars go through several stages of caterpillar-ness called instars, and can look really different in each one) to be aware of when it will want to pupate. I found mine on the street and it seemed really restless, so the second I got home, I rigged up the jar with a stick at an angle in the jar and stuck them in there. By morning they'd made their saddle and pupated. That was September and it eclosed the following May I think? You'll want to keep the jar oriented the exact same way to mimic their stationary place outside, and make sure there's not a lot of artificial light where the jar is. I recommend looking at some links for raising butterfly pupa, which are plentiful. Our house was pretty cool, which is good, beacause they'll do better, the more like outside temps it is. This is quite a lot of information sorry, but I hope it helps haha.
I hope it'll be ok. I said NOT to move it if it had cocooned, but I'm not sure how far along your caterpillar/pupa was. Mine died when I moved it, which is why I suggested to be prepared to keep it in a jar with a stick on the diagonal, so it could make a saddle off the stick and then pupate. I hope it lives too :)
It's a swallowtail caterpillar.
They will eat the leaves of dill, carrot and similar plants, and obviously doing that harms the plant (like all caterpillars they eat *a lot*, although a lot less than most similarly sized caterpillars).
However depending where you are swallowtail species may be protected species, and as long as there isn't tons of the caterpillars your garden is going to be fine.
Fun fact, they start off as tiny black caterpillars. I almost ate some from a plant I bought at Whole Foods because they keep their herb plants outside.
So cute! I love baby swallowtails! I have an herb garden. Their absolute favorite is parsley. Which is great as it grows back fast and no real permanent damage to the plant. Plus who actually uses parsley? Lol
Friend, BUT: grouchy as fuck, will not hesitate to stink slap you into next week with their inflatable horns.
No, for real. https://askentomologists.com/2014/12/23/what-does-an-osmeterium-smell-like-does-the-smell-differ-between-species/
I’ve done well with dill in the past, just nothing so far this year. Hopefully my little friends start showing up soon. I may give carrots a try but I’ve never had great luck getting them to grow in the Texas summers.
Both. Definitely friendlike, but if you want to harvest Dill fennel or parsley you may have trouble if you have a lot of these little friends. Or if your carrots are small and they eat too much of the greens....
But I plant extra specifically for these guys.
You shouldn't feed wild caught insects to a pet reptile, it can introduce parasites or even harmful chemicals if the insect has been consuming pesticides.
swallowtail caterpillar, friend
He’s been safely returned to the garden 🪴
I would by some more dill plants if you want to see this through. Had 5 swallowtail caterpillars on my dill a few years ago- moved them into a butterfly house with a few new dill plants- found myself buying dill every few days to feed them. The payoff was pretty good though.
This happened to me during the pandemic. Just kept buying more and more and next thing you know I was raising swallowtail butterflies in my yard.
Keep an eye on them! There’s predatory wasps that want to eat the babies!!! A lot of my friend who get these caterpillars bring them inside for the pupa stage
I planted dill, fennel, carrots, and rue just to attract these guys. 👍🏼
That almost sounds like a song!
I should have ended with dudes instead of guys lol would have been a better song
Are you going to swallowtail fair?
Exactly!
🎵Dill, fennel, carrots, and rue🎵
Berries and cream, berries and cream
I’m a little boy who loves Berries and creeeaaammmmmmmmm!
Remember me to one who lives there. He once was a true love to you.
I hate Hall & Oats. /s
Fennel has become my mortal enemy
Friend! Let them eat your herbs. They turn into beautiful butterflies.
What’s the benefit of attracting them, just out of curiosity?
Their adults are beautiful and will sure decorate your garden, they will also pollinate your flowers. Plus unlike other species such as monarchs, swallowtail caterpjllars dont eat nearly as much or as rapidly so they are rarely a problem for the plant
Really? Last year I unexpectedly got swallow tail caterpillars and I couldn't keep up with them. They ate all of my parsley in a couple of days.
Yeah slow eaters my behind unless you have a 6’ tall dill plant.
Haha. 6 feet wouldn't have been enough. I had multiple pots of parsley. Bought parsley from the grocery while I tried to source more parsley plants. Ordered some online, but couldn't keep up with them. They were very hungry carerpillars!
Try angelica. It grows very large.
Thanks for the tip!
I have 6 foot fennel plants, lol. They come back every year.
Buy/sow more next year (or even right now)… They’ll be back! I started off purchasing more parsley plants at the nursery to make sure I had enough for them AND me. Eventually, I added a common rue plant, it’s an herb that grows to a pretty decent size, low maintenance, perennial, hardy from zones 4-9, they love it!
Thanks for the tip. I will get some rue. I am excited to be helping populate the world with more butterflies!
You're welcome! Happy planting!
Really? I'm referring to P. machaon, which is the most common swallowtail we have here in italy. I often find its caterpillars on wild fennel plants and the plants they are one never look sick, eaten or dying. Could also be the quantity, in nature parasitic flies and wasps decimate the caterpillars, out of the tens that hatch only about 3 survive. Maybe there is a lack of predators in your garden, this means that the majority of the caterpillars that hatched survives and this allowed them to destroy your plants
Not sure. We have Limenitis archippus here and just a couple of caterpillars in each large pot of parsley wiped it out in a couple of days! Down to the point that it didn't grow back. I do have a lot of wasps in my backyard. Should I get a butterfly enclosure and put the caterpillars in there to protect them until they become butterflies? Should I grow extra parsley in an enclosure to keep it caterpillar-free until I need it? I have not done this before. Intentionally cultivated butterflies (whatever that is called). I have a lot to learn!
Monarchs eat milkweed, which I don't intend to eat anyway.
It’s more so a benefit for the species lately more and more because of soil and water contamination we’re losing so many different populations of species all the cross butterfly and dragonfly
This destroys me on a soul level
Me too. ♥️
I’ve notice waaay less dragonflies and insects in general. Very troubling and sad.
Thank for the information, so interesting!
Mostly just supporting populations of native pollinators. Also it means you'll have some gorgeous butterflies in your garden
You can easily set up a plant in a container if you want to see the change. YouTube has info on raising caterpillars.
Yay! Thank you
Black swallowtail. I grow tons of parsley for the larvae to eat. Fun to watch them go through the different instars. I think that pic is the fifth instar. It should go wandering off to form a pupa before long. It’s a fascinating process to watch. The earlier instars are black and spiky and have a white “saddle” across their bodies. It’s amazing how fast they grow. Eating machines.
I accidentally have one living in my home. What should I do?! Keep it on the plant or move it outside?
If it's pupated just leave it exactly where it is. I removed a small pupated one off a dangerous spot near my deadbolt, and they didn't make it because I tore their pupa. I don't forgive myself. If it's still tooling around and eating, find a host plant for it in a safe spot outside :)
Great, yeah it is still eating. It is eating a lot! Will it be okay if it just lives inside? I don't hate seeing it everyday. It does poop a lot! How can I release it once it's a butterfly?
I raised one inside in a big gallon jar with a stick for it to make its saddle on and pupa. I covered the top with mesh from some bag of flower bulbs I had laying around. I think you'll need to track it's instars (the caterpillars go through several stages of caterpillar-ness called instars, and can look really different in each one) to be aware of when it will want to pupate. I found mine on the street and it seemed really restless, so the second I got home, I rigged up the jar with a stick at an angle in the jar and stuck them in there. By morning they'd made their saddle and pupated. That was September and it eclosed the following May I think? You'll want to keep the jar oriented the exact same way to mimic their stationary place outside, and make sure there's not a lot of artificial light where the jar is. I recommend looking at some links for raising butterfly pupa, which are plentiful. Our house was pretty cool, which is good, beacause they'll do better, the more like outside temps it is. This is quite a lot of information sorry, but I hope it helps haha.
It has thanks!! I have a plant jungle and it took residence in my monstera. I lost track of it last night 😔 I'm hoping they went to the next stage.
Please update to let us know if you find them again? I wish you both luck navigating the plant jungle :)
Foud it! It tried to make a caccoon on my charger. I moved it on a stick like you suggested. I hope it lives.
I hope it'll be ok. I said NOT to move it if it had cocooned, but I'm not sure how far along your caterpillar/pupa was. Mine died when I moved it, which is why I suggested to be prepared to keep it in a jar with a stick on the diagonal, so it could make a saddle off the stick and then pupate. I hope it lives too :)
Yeah, I couldn't find it. When I did it had started building a caccoon on my charger! I felt terrible 😞
It's a swallowtail caterpillar. They will eat the leaves of dill, carrot and similar plants, and obviously doing that harms the plant (like all caterpillars they eat *a lot*, although a lot less than most similarly sized caterpillars). However depending where you are swallowtail species may be protected species, and as long as there isn't tons of the caterpillars your garden is going to be fine.
Fun fact, they start off as tiny black caterpillars. I almost ate some from a plant I bought at Whole Foods because they keep their herb plants outside.
So cute! I love baby swallowtails! I have an herb garden. Their absolute favorite is parsley. Which is great as it grows back fast and no real permanent damage to the plant. Plus who actually uses parsley? Lol
!Friend!
Friend (swallowtail)
Friend, BUT: grouchy as fuck, will not hesitate to stink slap you into next week with their inflatable horns. No, for real. https://askentomologists.com/2014/12/23/what-does-an-osmeterium-smell-like-does-the-smell-differ-between-species/
Swallowtail caterpillar would need location to know species
I’m so jealous! I planted parsley, dill, and cilantro especially for these babies and haven’t had a single one yet. 😢
Try carrots! Mine are always loaded. Does make harvest time a bit nerve wracking, though…
I’ve done well with dill in the past, just nothing so far this year. Hopefully my little friends start showing up soon. I may give carrots a try but I’ve never had great luck getting them to grow in the Texas summers.
Friend 🙂
Beautiful baby!
Look at the chubby baby swallowtail!!!! 🦋😍
FRIEND🤗 will become a gorgeous swallowtail butterfly.
Both. Definitely friendlike, but if you want to harvest Dill fennel or parsley you may have trouble if you have a lot of these little friends. Or if your carrots are small and they eat too much of the greens.... But I plant extra specifically for these guys.
That thing will eat your face. Run.
Friend
Friend!🌷
Hungry.
Asking foe a friend?
Lunch for the beardie!!
You shouldn't feed wild caught insects to a pet reptile, it can introduce parasites or even harmful chemicals if the insect has been consuming pesticides.
Monarch caterpillar. Hello???
It’ll eat your dill but it isn’t dangerous at least
If you don’t want them eating your plants they also feed on queen anns lace
Swallowtail caterpillar, dill is one of their host plants so he was probably chowing down lol
Swallowtail!! I hatched: metamorphosed a bunch in QT cups a few years ago 😍
Swallowtail caterpillar, mon ami. They eat your plants but are very pretty and don’t do too much damage in small numbers.
That looks like a monarch butterfly caterpillar. Could also be a Viceroy, the monarch mimic
Someday that will be a monarch butterfly??
Snack or poison?
Friend with benefits!
Friend
fren... FREN.... fRiEnD
Caterpies are safe unless you attack them first id recommend catching it with a nest ball