As we were examining the fennel for eggs, we came across two different kinds of cats too! I think this one is a monarch, but I'm not sure.
Cats on Fennel
Here's the second cat, which appears different to me than the previous one.
Both of them look like Black Swallowtail cats to me! Caterpillars change appearance as they go through their instar phases.
they are both eastern black swallowtails. The smaller one is in its first stage as a cat. Thet are this color as they resemble bird droppings for protection. It will shed this skin and look like the other cat either dark as thi one is (female) or lighter or mor green as a male. They are facinating to watch.
Neat photos! We've been away for the weekend, but I am going to head out in the morning and see if my bronze fennel has any "customers."
:-)
Yes, both are Eastern Black Swallowtail cats...just different instars like Peggy said. You'll also find the chrysalids can be either green or brown. They are easy to raise...so long as you have plenty of their larval host.
I raised about thirty of them last year...they didn't touch the fennel but instead went after the rue. I had to go out and buy more plants to keep them all fed.
I recently found a lone BST cat on my fennel earlier this week. I put it in the reptarium and it's already gone into the chrysalis stage. No takers on my rue this year...yet.
~ Cat
I'm so glad to find this thread! I think I have several AST cats on my Smokey fennel, most in the 5th instar I think. They have a lot more black on them than these cats pictured above but I didn't think AST's came this far east. Can anyone help me out with that part? Do AST's come as far East as Kansas? I've read they don't get further than New Mexico but I'm almost certain these are AST's.
My fennel will be all eaten up before these cats are mature, I sure hope I can find some other food sources this late in the season.
Man this has been driving me crazy trying to find info on these guys! I found my 1st cat on my backdoor 2 days ago. I looked it up and found it liked to eat fennel. I went to the fennel and found a bunch more! My nieghboor has the same plant not 50 yards from mine and the plant is pristine/huge. That can only mean the AST's didn't find it but that makes no sense ! LOL this is maddening. I'll get some pics ASAP.
I can't believe I didn't come strait to DG for info. I've spent 2 days searching like mad and posting at Gardenweb with no luck. What the heck was I thinking?!!? DG has the best info on everything, I'm such a meathead;)
Oh BTW, can these guys survive winter here in Kansas or will I have to help them out?
Thanks, JD
they will pupate and go dormant if it is not warm enough for them to hatch
Hope you found some "cats" critterologist :) I'm confused though, because I read that the cats overwinter in their chrysalis. Is that true? If I bring them inside, will I have to keep them all winter - or did I misunderstand?
Thanks,
~Sunny
I need some help with that too Sunny. Can the cats overwinter in their chrysalis in freezing temps? I feel pretty stupid having to ask this question and I've really searched and read up with out finding this bit of info. Please help the clueless;)
Thanks, JD