I believe this is a black Swallowtail cat I found on my fennel plant. It has several of different sizes on it. They are hard to photograph. The fennel comes out clear in most and they are just blurs.
This one turned out really clear. I like stroking it and watching it stick out the little orange "antenna"
Hi Windy! Definitely a Black Swallowtail cat!
DonnaB did a great pictorial description of their defense mechanism. The orange "antenna" are actually a gland called an osmeterium. They emit an odor through those glands. Next time it shows it's osmeterium, stroke it slightly and then smell your finger. It is the oddest odor. It's supposed to repel predators. Though I don't think it works that well, as they seem to be a tasty snack for wasps and birds.
