These question to those who has had experience raising these cats. A few days ago, I discovered roughly 9 or more BST cats on my parsley. For several days, they appeared to be happy. Then this morning, I found only 3 or 4 smaller cats. The largest cats have all but disappear. Do they go into the ground to pupate like that of Tersa hawkmoths' cats? Please help.
Where did all/most of my BST Cats Disappear To???
More likely wasps from my experience. Do you have lizards? Fat cats look like lunch.
Maggie
Oh no! I've many a lizards in the garden. Sob sob.!!!
Put the cats in a container in the shade or inside.
Maggie
I'll do that first thing in the morning, many thanks margaran.
Yup, Black Swallowtails are basically herb-stuffed caterpillars. They're not poisonous and I would think they might actually taste pretty good (if you're a bird or lizard). They need a little more protection than say, a Polydamas. I often think if they taste as bad as pipevine smells, I wouldn't want to eat one either.
Melanie
They also could have wandered away to pupate if they were 5th instar.
BTW- butterflies pupate above ground.
maggie
Late instar BST cats probably went off to pupate. Check around your pots or nearby branches. I usually find chrysalids around the rim of the same pot the rue in growing in. :o)
~ Cat
Thanks all, I transplanted two parsleys into a container and brought what appears to be a first instar BST cat. into a sheltered cage. It's a tiny wigly bitsy thing about 1/4" long and the size of a toothpick, with the 'bird's dropping look-a-like cat. Plus maybe 2 third instars (these are over an inch long and the size of a chop-stix maybe). I'll need to head out to the nursery and see if I can find some extra parsleys to replace those outdoor, so if the Momma BST should come around again.
Once again thank you, for all your help.
Thank you, Cath. I've looked and looked, these is the pix of several happy ones a few days ago. There is no sign of them. Not only the cats were missing, even the frass on the rim of the pot were gone. Yikes! I've a feeling birds may have discovered the cat's home outdoor.
I've had amazingly good luck with organic parsley from the grocery store washed VERY well- no deaths yet.
Maggie
margaran, thank you for your tips on getting fresh organic parsley from the grocery store. I went off to a friendly neighbor nursery in search of parsley. Because of your helpful tips, I asked the nursery staffs about chemical treated plants? They readily informed me that their parsley were sprayed a couple of days ago....I'll need to isolate the plants perhap a week time for the chemical to wear off before I introduce those to the cats.
This afternoon, I'll head on out to the grocery in search of some organic parsleys to temporarily feed my little cats. So far, the two that I bought inside with the transplanted cats. look well. The tiniest little one is hidden somewhere I can't seem to find it.
Kim
Kim,
Just passing on a suggestion I got from one of our many butterfly divas, glad it helped.
Maggie
Busy a lot elsewhere today, just catching up. Sorry about the absence of your big cats. I bet they have gone off to pupate, or the little ones would have been picked off too. I have had them pupate on statuary and doors and plants a long way away.
One thing that I noticed and want to ask about. Above you said:
Quoting:
Do you have a GST cat inside? What is it feeding on?
with the 'bird's dropping look-a-like cat
Sheila, I believe it was one of the first instar on the BST, and not the GST? I've noticed the 'lil cats were brownish with with marking before the became the colorful 'striped' looking...I can't seem to find any picture of them for now....I saw those on parsley with the bigger cats.
Good. This is the one I thought you were talking about. It is the Giant Swallowtail cat that looks like the bird droppings. They don't eat parsley is why I wanted to check.
Sheila, look this is the 'lil instar that I was referring to....
Those cats, what are they munching on (from your pix)? They're so cute.
Yours is a BST for certain. The GSTcats in my shot are eating Rue, one of their host plants. Here is a closer shot of the leaves.
Rue, is meadow rue one and the same? I've one of those planted in the garden somewhere...
I just came back from the garden, I thought I saw a BST mommo flitting about, I hope she will find the parsley I've.
Sheila, are those eggs? They seem big from the pix.
Yes, they are eggs. If I remember correctly they were both BSTs. Here is one that hatched next to an egg.
