Fresh batch of swallowtail cats

Here's some cute swallowtail cats I collected yesterday. There's still tons in my garden, but I'll start with these. The last batch of eggs that hatched in the garden ended up as bird food, I think, so figured this time I'd rescue. Once the ones in the garden get bigger, I'll get them too. Hopefully by then some of these will be in their chrysalis stage. I hope I don't run out of parsley! It's funny, the last batch were on the fennel. Guess it just depends on the mood of the butterfly as to where she lays eggs! I'm definitely planting some more fennel this fall.

Funny, mine ignore the parsley and go for the fennel! Glad that you rescued them; only 1-2% make it all the way to an adult in the wild. Plus, they're so much fun to watch!

Melanie

Funny, mine ignore the parsley and the fennel but go for the rue!!!

It's a good thing you rescued them like Melanie wrote. The more you raise to adulthood, the more that will return to lay eggs and the more you will have eating your parsley...or fennel...or my rue!!!

~ Cat

So far, of my 10 cats, 3 are in chrysalis stage, and 2 are in their J-shape. The other five better hurry up because they're eating me out of house and home! The cats still on the plants aren't going to have enough at this rate. I hope they don't get eaten...

Here's a picture from today of a cat chomping away. This guy even likes stems! Love that macro setting!

Yeah, some of the cats eat stems. The Polydamas and Pipevine ST actually seem to prefer the stems of Pipevine. They'll eat right through the stem and let the leaves fall on the ground. They're so wasteful!

Melanie

wowee. nice macro indeed.

Mine go for the dill and leave the fennel, queen anne's lace, rue and parsley!

er....Way to go!! I love your pictures also. When they get big enough and are short of food, they will go to chrysalis. Those that are on fennel, rue and dill will feed on parsley also if you are short. In fact I move any BST that I find on my Rue to parsley asap to save it for the GST cats.

I did notice in the first picture that you have the parsley in an open container of water. I would sure suggest you cover the cup with Saran or Press n' seal plastic and poke tiny holes for the stems. Cats do sometimes fall and would drown in the water. The best thing to use is the wet floral foam that is used for cut flowers.

Also, don't get dissapointed if some don't make it to adult stage. Like Melanie said the success percentage is low in the wild. Since you didn't bring them in until they were pretty good size they may have been attacked by a fly or wasp already. Not trying to gross you, just prepare you.

This message was edited Aug 23, 2008 7:57 PM

Update on my cats: Now I have 4 chrysalises. There was one that was in formation to make one, and it went halfway, but then somehow came unattached on one end. It looked kinda weird. Then I just noticed there are tiny little ants that look like they're eating the poop that came out of it (gross!) and some are on the half-chrysalis. What do you think happened? I guess it's a goner. The other five cats are fat fat fat! They've got to get a move on. I guess like Sheila says, if they're short of food they'll go to chrysalis.

I have some containers with flexible plastic lids for the water. I cut x-marks on the top of the flexible plastic lids and can insert the stems into them. Cuts down on the access of the cats to the water. Or cut a small hole in a lid and wedge a piece floral foam into the hole so you can insert stem through it.

er....
I have had that happen also, I think it was a goner long before and just didn't know it. The earlier you bring them in the less chance they have been parasitised.
Good idea for the water Linda.

Here's an update on my BST cats. I had 12 cats total. Three didn't make it, and the other 9 made their chrysalis. Of those 9, I've had 3 butterflies emerge so far! 2 of those I happened to see right after they came out, when they were all crinkly. That was really neat, since I'd never seen it before. My 4 year old daughter has been enjoying the metamorphoses as well!

This message was edited Sep 2, 2008 8:50 PM

And here's a picture later of the same butterfly enjoying a first meal!

Nice pictures, glad you have a little one to share the experience with too!