Raising Swallowtail Caterpillars

8/16 This is the day we found him on our dill plants. 

8/20

Another view of the caterpillar and his shed skin.

Here you can see the skin that the caterpillar shed. 

Later the same day...he looks bigger already! 

For perspective, here he is, shown with the entire container in the picture. 

8/24

Four days later, he was very active and eating.  This was the first we'd witnessed this much activity.

In these pictures (above and below) you can see a smaller caterpillar that was more recently hatched. He was actually smaller than this when he was hatched. He's the dark brown line to the left of the big caterpillar.

I didn't know a caterpillar could poop so much!

Look very closely.  My little Queenie's quick eye found this teeny tiny hatchling swallowtail! 

Here's a really cool photo of the caterpillar settling into chrysalis mode. 

Here are two smaller ones. 

You can see just how small they are when they first start out.  It's amazing the rate of growth these caterpillars have. 

8/26

CHRYSALIS The pupa stage

On 9/7 at my daughter's birthday party, we had a very special guest join us!

The wing pattern shows this one is male. 

The butterfly rested briefly on my daughter's finger before flying away!



In November we got a startling surprise, from one of our wintering chrysali emerged a butterfly!  I was afraid to release her since it was so cold.  I made a solution of sugarwater and offered it to her, but I am not sure she ate much.  She lived for two weeks.  However, I know she wouldn't have lived long outside either, as late emerging butterflies only live a few weeks anyway.  We certainly had fun experiencing a butterfly up close.  Such a beautiful creation of God!  

This one is a girl!