Infestation

Yesterday I noticed our parsley plants had become party central to a whole family of caterpillars. Today, annoyed with the destruction they were causing, started to yank them off one-by-one and tossed them into the yard. Those of you who know me well know I have difficulty killing insects -- I've been known to collect cockroaches in paper towel and place them humanely outside. I know they will come right back in, but I just can't kill them. Don't make me.


Plus, these caterpillars were beautiful. They kept shooting their stink glands at me when I tried to pull them away from the plant -- luckily not too strong but 2 hours later, I am still smelling a bit of caterpillar funk....About the time I had finished cleaning off one of the plants, I got nervous that these caterpillars could be Monarchs or something. They were just too pretty.


So I ran inside, did some research, and discovered they are Black Swallowtail butterflies. Horrified with myself, I ran back outside, picked the biggest caterpillars out of the yard (thank God I didn't kill them!) and put them back on the parsley. Sorry to see my parsley go, but it's cheap and easily obtained at the supermarket. I want butterflies!

If I am observant, I'll try to take photos as the caterpillars make their chrysalises (chrysalisi?).

Here's a Google image of a Swallowtail. Coincidentally, the site I pulled the picture from was from Northwest Ohio nature!