The Black Swallowtails are Here!

[Pennywise]

Black swallowtail butterflies laid eggs on our herbs Dill, Parsley etc. recently and
this is the results in a couple of more days these caterpillars will create there chrysalis
and in about 2 weeks whoopie! Butterflies to release. Just a hobby, lots of fun and
some work too but worth doing.

 

[Galapoheros]

I just brought in a small citrus tree with Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars on it, there are 5. It's interesting to me also to watch them grow. I brought the tree indoors because things get the caterpillars out there.

 

[Pennywise]

Good idea, with our Monarchs we sometimes do that too when we have lots of milkweed
for them. We also get Gulf Fritillary Butterflies on Purple Passion Vine and on our Calamondin
oranges an occasional Giant Swallowtail. Those (any) caterpillars can Eat.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

This seems to be a good year for swallowtails. I've been seeing tons of tigers and spicebush.

I just brought in a small citrus tree with Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars on it, there are 5. It's interesting to me also to watch them grow. I brought the tree indoors because things get the caterpillars out there.

Swallowtail caterpillars on citrus is more characteristic of giant swallowtails.

 

[Galapoheros]

Oh I've been calling the giant tiger swallowtails, just shows how it's best to stick with sci names but hard to do. But yes it's Papilio cresphontes I have here on the small tree. The tree is White Sapote or Casimiroa edulis, had to look that up of course and for other people that want to. I grew 3 from seeds from the fruit I bought at the store, they are about 3 feet high now.

 

[Galapoheros]

Well I thought I'd take the citrus tree out in the sun for a couple of hours. I go work on the mower, then walk by the tree and all but one of them was taken out by red wasps, one was in the process of eating one of the caterpillars. But I found 3 more that just hatched. Talk about caterpillar control, those wasps are ruthless.

 

[Pennywise]

Between the wasps, the Anole lizards, birds etc. by the end of the season they are sitting
waiting for the Butterfly eggs to be laid or the small caterpillars to hatch out. It's a
frustrating hobby. We have 3 nice green chrysalis in about a week we should have
Black Swallowtails. I have lots of photos of our Monarchs, Swallowtails and Fritillaries
from previous seasons. Give me a couple of days and I will post some of them.
Good to hear from you!

 

[Pennywise]

Butterfly Boondoggle the first 2 had folded crooked wings. There are lots more
caterpillars, let's see what happens next.

 

[Galapoheros]

Since I had the little tree inside, some crawled off to pupate, I can't find them but will later when they start bumping on the windows. I took the rest outside. I took a few pics but, man I'm getting lazy.