…or dill or fennel: swallowtail butterflies!
A couple weeks ago, I noticed some swallowtails winging around the front porch area where I have herbs growing in pots.
“I hope you guys are laying eggs on that parsley,” I told them. It seems that they listened. Last week, I noticed some tiny, black, fuzzy-looking caterpillars, each with a yellow band around its middle, on the parsley. I crossed my fingers and hoped they were what I thought they were. Yesterday, I saw the one above, finally grown into the familiar black-and-green-striped critter with yellow spots.
The second photo shows two younger larvae. The larger of those is less than half the size of the larva featured in the first photo.
Most of the damage to the parsley visible in these pictures was actually the work of grasshoppers, a large number of whom have taken up residence in the front yard. I chased about five off the parsley yesterday before I thought to get my camera. (The droppings on the edge of the pot are theirs.)
Although I would happily forgo fresh parsley for the butterflies, the swallowtail larvae don’t seem to eat that much. I’ve never had a problem sharing with them. The grasshoppers, on the other hand, are not such courteous guests, though I’ve not seen them on the parsley before. I may have to explore ways to discourage them, but I will make certain it is not at the expense of the swallowtails.
The Daily Compost 