A whimsical sign from a new friend long ago invites visitors to experience the garden sensually.
Some are using more than the sense of touch.
Although there is plenty of touchy feely going on with many toesies.
Many more than these four times sixteen*.
Double the pleasure…
…And a black manicure.
On flat leaf Italian parsley, Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum, nothing but the best..
…For our Shar-pei shaped friends.
From the largest to the smallest…
…And instar in-between, please touch the herbs in any way you wish.
Are you our mother?
*Eastern tiger Black swallowtail caterpillars have three pairs of true legs, the ones with the black toenails, and five pairs of prolegs for sixteen legs. We are calling them toes, poetic license you know. The lone parsley plant is covered in these caterpillars. This plant was almost pulled up since it had gone to seed and was not useable for human consumption. We are so glad it was left standing by a lazy gardener. More are needed. ( I guess the adult butterfly featured is not their mother as I had surmised. Thanks as always to Randy for the correct ID! I have most likely had the wrong ID on every single post written featuring these catts! Mea culpa.)
Two posts written last year with more information about these catts can be seen by clicking here-Two New Things and here-Whoa Nellie!.
Frances
Frances, Good morning~What a wonderful bounty of swallowtail catts! They’re beautiful! I’m glad you left the parsley plant for them~And, thanks for the sweet reminder of reading to M~xxgail
ps Now off to find coffee and you have the cat to thank for this early visit!
Wow, what a great invasion. They are sooo in fashion with their black manicure, I think I need one as well. I should go check my ratty parsley.
Where are mine? Not one!
Your macro, wow!!! it’s so beautiful to look at them.
Frances, I haven’t seen caterpillars like this in years. They must really like your garden.
Eileen
What a colourful caterpillar and then a beautiful butterfly. Great photos Frances.
Oh, do you have to net these? My monarch caterpillars disappeared overnight. Birds, I fear. Love these shots and I am going out to check my parsley!
Frances,
Your caterpillars are Black Swallowtails! Eastern Tiger Swallowtails use trees for hosts, Tulip Poplar, wild cherry to name a few. We raised 19 Black Swallowtails in Meg’s second grade class on Bronze fennel and 3 hatched out this year in the garden. Only one cat remains currently.
Wonderful macro shots, Frances. The swallowtail is worth the wait. BTW, I couldn’t find the “comment” place in your earlier post, which I enjoyed reading very much.
I have not seen caterpillars anywhere I have been this year. I like the furry ones the best. I always get them off the street before… you know, splat. Maybe it is still too early, but yours are so plump and colorful. Great photos as always.I liked the comparison to a shar pei, thanks, gave me a smile.
Fantastic photos Frances…almost like being there! I need to climb over garden bed that is being solarized and check out my fennel…this is the first year swallowtails have returned to Davis after a 10 year absence.
I love the photos, especially the toes and the manicure! Time for me to replant fennel in my garden and most definitely, parsley.
Nice shots Frances.
I love Swallowtails, I also know them as ‘Sail’ butterflies. May all your parsley bolt!
Frances, doesn’t it seem to you that there were many more caterpillars and butterflies this year? It sure seemed that way in RI. Not that I’m complaining!
I could write a whole post on the rewards of being a lazy gardener! Note to self: For one minute, don’t be lazy, plant some parsley!
Isn’t is amazing the life we might miss if not focused! Thank you, Frances.
We don’t seem to have any caterpillars either, maybe they are all out at your place?
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I love seeing the colors of the caterpillars in your pictures, and butterflies are heavenly . . but I’m so glad not to have to touch those caterpillars! It gives me the shivers.
Wow, what magnificent pics. And the butterfly–gorgeous. I surely need to plant some things around here to entice those lovelies. Would they enjoy dill?
Frances – I have the same sign in my garden, people look at it quizically and I encourage them to please touch everything! I have had a lot of caterpillars this year, including some swallowtails. Your pictures are absolutely amazing, aren’t they incredible creatures?
Great photos of the catts, Frances! I thought I had a lot of them, but I think you have a whole clan moving in here. The fennel in my garden is a favorite destination for the grandkids who like to check out all the catts. I thought all but the last one of your photos were Black Swallowtail caterpillars, but I’m no expert; whatever they are, we know they’re going to turn into some beautiful flutterbys eventually.
What beautiful caterpillar photos! I love your post. 🙂 Aren’t you also thankful for Randy’s help? He just helped me out, too… Can’t get by without a little help from our friends! Enjoy the coming of Fall!