Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

Description:

There goes my parsley! But it was worth seeing all of these together like this. I tried to get different instar stages. I thought this was so unique and then I looked on the internet; there are a LOT of pics of these. Caterpillars have chewing mouthparts. Adults have siphoning mouths. Host plants of the caterpillar include members of the parsley family including carrot, parsley, dill, fennel and Queen Anne's lace and some members of the Rutaceae. They especially like my dill. They just flock to it! I will definitely be planting this again just for the caterpillars. There defense mechanism is right behind the head; called an osmeterium. When disturbed the V or Y shaped organ emits a strong odor that is apparently distasteful to predators.

Habitat:

Found throughout much of North America. It is the state butterfly of Oklahoma. Caterpillars have chewing mouthparts. Adults have siphoning mouths.