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Black Swallowtail caterpillar

Papilio polyxenes

Description:

My daughter found this one on a parsley leaf and called for me to come to see it! I thought she was kidding because she is just two!! My son saw it too and verified it from one of his nature books.. I will add photos again since we have it in a vessel and it seems to want to get a cocoon started! Hope to see the Butterfly emerge..

Notes:

Resting on parsley in the vegetable garden


No species ID suggestions

7 Comments

Hemma
Hemma a year ago

Were you able to see the butterflies emerging?

Nicholas4
Nicholas4 a year ago

Thanks Peter.. missed the lacation.. BTW, got one more two days ago.. it was cold outside, about 50 overnight, but it seem to have survived.. It molted.. I missed it tough.. and now is eating up the parsley leaves.. The first one is still hanging upside down.. will update with photos..

peter
peter a year ago

Nicholas can you please update the location of where you saw this caterpillar. Right now the location information is missing. Many thanks.

Nicholas4
Nicholas4 a year ago

I've just added the chrysalis stage photo!! Wow! It began at it's head and quickly moved thru it's entire body in about two hours! I left for work and my wife saw it and shot the last photo!! Just incredible!!

Nicholas4
Nicholas4 a year ago

Thanks for the comments!! Yes I do have a lid... And I will post progress shots.

zayer
zayer a year ago

Wow! Hope you can post the photo when this caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Thanks!

KeithRoragen
KeithRoragen a year ago

Anise Swallowtail is a western species. Much more likely this is a Black Swallowtail - Papilio polyxenes- which is a similar species. A word of warning, these caterpillars like to go on walkabout before they pupate. If you don't have a lid on the container it is likely to find them pupating on a chair or table leg, or never find them pupating at all.

Wayne, New Jersey, USA

Lat: 40.95, Long: -74.25

Spotted on Sep 4, 2011
Submitted on Sep 5, 2011

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