The big picture. All the caterpillars which will become beautiful Swallowtail butterflies are in the big picture. Scroll down to see the close-ups. We plant the parsley for ourselves and for the Swallowtails. The sad news is that there are only four. We've had the plants covered with caterpillars in years past.
No. 1
No. 2
Nos. 3 and 4
Here's what the caterpillars will become if all four make it. Beautiful!
Bottom photo from Wikipedia.
UPDATE: Here's a photo of the latest edition to the caterpillar family. Click on the picture to enlarge and look at the bottom and a little to the left, and you will see a small black and white critter. The others looked like that day before yesterday. Now we have five caterpillars feeding on the parsley.
And then there were eight!
Word has gone out in Caterpillar Land that Grandpère and Grandmère have parsley, and the caterpillars are a-comin'. We should plant a whole plot of parsley next year. I'll suggest just that to the gardener, who is GP.
Lovely, beautiful creatures.
ReplyDeleteCathy, the day before yesterday, the caterpillars were only about a third of the size as yesterday. Today, the critters are even larger, and there is one more tiny caterpillar present, which makes five. Yay! Perhaps more will appear.
ReplyDeleteThese are so neat!
ReplyDeleteSince the caterpillars are so few, they've become my little family, and I will monitor them.
ReplyDeleteToday we have eight caterpillars on our plant. I added another picture, but you may not be able to see all eight in the picture.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding us that they are beautiful as larvae, too. And for feeding them!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Johnieb.
ReplyDeleteMy grandson says only 7, and I believe he's right. I wonder if one has already gone to wherever they go after gorging themselves on parsley.