Rewilding My Lot

Converting a new developer lot into a nature ecosystem — my journey

Black Swallowtail Caterpillars

I often see Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) butterflies here, but they are difficult to photograph because they are constantly in motion, even when feeding.

I have a few dill plants here, courtesy of a friend, and since they are a host plant for Black Swallowtails I wasn’t surprised to see what looked like egg-laying behavior on them. A butterfly would briefly visit about three locations on each plant and then move on.

A few days later I wasn’t paying attention when I cut a few sprigs of dill for a recipe, but before I took them indoors I noticed a tiny caterpillar passenger.

When I returned the caterpillar to the plant, it was then that I noticed several more of different sizes (there are two in the photo below). My need for dill is small, so I’m happy to share.

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6 responses to “Black Swallowtail Caterpillars”

  1. Denise Massey Avatar
    Denise Massey

    You’re about to have more beautiful butterflies! How long will it take to maturity?

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    1. rewildingmylot Avatar
      rewildingmylot

      Supposedly 3-4 weeks as caterpillars, 10-20 days in the chrysalis, and then just 6-15 days as adults.

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      1. Denise Massey Avatar
        Denise Massey

        Cool! Thanks!

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  2. mannhelen Avatar
    mannhelen

    I’m impressed that you are able to get dill to grow – I never had any luck with it, (and I use quit a lot in my cooking).

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    1. rewildingmylot Avatar
      rewildingmylot

      I had the advantage that these were already small plants in pots when I received them in December. I was fortunately tardy in planting them, so they were indoors during the January freeze, and then I finally got them in the ground in early spring.

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  3. Older Black Swallowtail Caterpillars – Rewilding My Lot Avatar
    Older Black Swallowtail Caterpillars – Rewilding My Lot

    […] I reported a month ago that I was seeing Black Swallowtail caterpillars on my dill plants, they were quite small and had a “saddle” pattern over their stripes. Here’s an […]

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About Me

Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.

I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.

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