Black Swallowtails



Phil, the caterpillar



Annette's adventures with insects have inspired me, so when I found these little guys munching on my fennel and parsley I decided to bring them in for a better look.  It turns out that they're Black Swallowtail caterpillars and will someday look like this. 

I found at least six of them and brought four in to help me work.  Over the last few days, they've been crawling around their jar by my computer, eating all the parsley and fennel in sight, and growing like crazy.  They also generate a prodigious amount of caterpillar poop.  

I don't feel bad about keeping them captive because the birds apparently think these guys are a smorgasbord.  According to one web site, only one in a hundred lives to become a butterfly. The chance of a bird opening the door, flying down to the basement and unscrewing the lid to their jar is very remote -- so these caterpillars have it made.  When I went out to look for the ones I left behind, they were gone.  ** playing taps **

Charlie the caterpillar crawls on Ally's finger
while I clean the endless caterpillar poop out of their jar.

I'm interested in seeing them make their chrysalises.  They're almost 2 inches long now and they should be ready soon.  

In other news, I finally got off my butt and sewed together Kate's long-awaited navy- blue-school-sweater-that-would-have-been-a-different-color-if-we'd-know-it-wouldn't-be-ready-until-college.  All it needs now are the buttons and, miracle of miracles, it looks like it fits!  I'll have her model it for pictures once the buttons are on.