Wednesday, September 9, 2015

GB Hatchery: Black Swallowtails





This summer I have enjoyed rearing monarch butterflies again
 as well as eastern black swallowtails!
Swallowtails lay eggs on host plants in the carrot family:
queen anne's lace, dill, fennel, parsley.
It's fascinating to watch them eat and grow as caterpillars and finally form a chrysalis.
This chrysalis turned brown and now looks like a piece of bark.
I'm not sure if it will emerge this year.
Late season swallowtails diapause in the chrysalis stage and overwinter, 
emerging the following spring.
Stay tuned...

2 comments:

donna baker said...

Oh How I love the photo stages of it coccooning.

Unknown said...

What a lovely project!