Bunnies aren't the only ones...
who enjoy fennel...
and dill...
and parsley!I found four of these black swallowtail caterpillars yesterday munching away on the parsley in the herb planter that Mary included in this post. I'm reasonably sure that the caterpillars in the other photos (taken in previous summers) are black swallowtails also. Unlike monarch caterpillars which look the same throughout their growth, swallowtails change with each instar and there's a lot of variation among individual caterpillars. This one I photographed looked like a bit of bird poop yesterday when I first spotted it.
So in addition to providing fresh herbs for our table and the bunnies' twice daily salads, my little garden herb patch feeds the next generation of flutterbies!
11 comments:
Yay! And guess what I saw fly by my face today? A Monarch butterfly. Now, I will start keeping my camera with me at all times, for sure.
You are fortunate to see the caterpillars. I haven't. And how are the bunnies doing?
But do the bunnies like the caterpillars? I suspect not!
Those are cool caterpillar pictures! It's always a nice surprise to find them out in the garden, isn't it?
How nice of the wabbit to share. I think the butterflies are a fair trade for some leaves, but it's not my dinner we're talking about, is it?
I'm not sure my buns would share their herbs, even with soon to be butterflies!
I had to chuckle when I read your post! We have both been taking caterpillar pics. I get the swallowtail caterpillars on my parsley every year, but I have never seen any other stage of development.
ruth
Wonderful post regarding your Swallowtail caterpillar's! They are wonderful and I must admit that I have never found their caterpillar!! Thanks for sharing!
My dill still awaits caterpillars.
Your attitude towards them is great. Imagine some people pull the, off their plants and spray everything down with pesticides!
Pictures came out great!-now I'm in the mood for an herb salad.
Oh my gosh! This is so neat! It must feel so good to know you're helping nature along in your little patch of garden.
Always an educational experience to read your blog, Laura! My herbs have no such 'pillars on them, but I'll keep watching.... And definitely Niblet would not want to share his greens with anyone!
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