CLOSED: What kind of caterpillar is this?

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dovey Columbus, OH(Zone 5b) Jun 25, 2008

You must have seen them a million times, but I haven't.
I keep finding them on my carrot tops.
Is it a butterfly or moth?
I hate to kill it - it's so pretty, but I'm afraid of the damage it will do to my vegetable garden.

Thanks
Dove


f you're after getting the honey, then you don't go killing all the bees...
Joe Strummer & the Mescalaros

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Jun 25, 2008

He will become a beautiful Black Swallowtail:

http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg266.html

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dovey Columbus, OH(Zone 5b) Jun 25, 2008

FlyGirl,
I did a quick search and it seems that they do very little damage to the host plant.
Thank you, I will let it be and enjoy the Black Swallowtail when it arrives.

Dove

If you're after getting the honey, then you don't go killing all the bees...
Joe Strummer & the Mescalaros

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fly_girl The Woodlands, TX(Zone 8b) Jun 25, 2008

Great!

They don't eat much but rarely make it to a butterfly...they have many predators that get them. Do you have a cage you could keep and feed him in?

If you want some great ideas, the Hummingbird and butterfly forum can help :)

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dovey Columbus, OH(Zone 5b) Jun 25, 2008

Thank you, I'll check it out.

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