Parsley worms (aka. black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars) grow quickly, and the one living in my parsley plant is no exception. This caterpillar is packing on the grams at an impressive pace. You saw the photo I posted a few days ago. Now, check out how this guy has grown:
I’m so proud.
But, it gets better. This parsley worm is now old enough to put on an impressive alarm display. This is what happens if you anger a parsley worm:
Are you properly intimidated? No? Well, if you press your luck, this happens:
So fierce!
Those orange antenna things aren’t actually antenna. Instead, that’s the caterpillar’s osmeterium: a specialized scent gland that swallowtail caterpillars can spring from their heads when they sense danger. It’s a pretty intimidating display. Oh yeah, I totally jumped when this guy unleashed his osmeterium.
Supposedly, the osmeterium also release some noxious odor. Makes sense, since they are scent glands. But, well, I didn’t smell anything. Maybe I just didn’t get my nose close enough to smell that special angry caterpillar scent.
I’m also not sure what’s going on with that bubble of spittle in the last photo. The caterpillar was decidely not happy with me. So, maybe this is its second line of defense? Perhaps that stuff tastes horrible. So bad that a hungry bird would drop the caterpillar. I don’t know. I’m the curious sort. But, not so curious that I’m going to taste bubbles of angry caterpillar spit. Sorry.
Do you have black swallowtail caterpillars in your garden? You might, if you have parsley, dill, carrots or other Apiaceae plants in your garden.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I actually planted a bunch of all of these plants in the patch of common property/edge of the woods/big mess of “weeds” behind our property just so I could attract/feed some of these guys.
Angry caterpillar spit….. *chortle*
I’ll be able to see if parsley can stand up to E. Texas’ high summer heat & humidity when we get back to start the garden again. I know that dill does fairly well.
Are parsley seeds difficult to start? Any tips?
**Katy M
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Parsley seeds are very easy to start and I have a parsley plant that is now 2 years old. It lives through the winter it seems, at least the north Texas winter. I have now had three hatchings of parsley worms this spring and summer! Three generations of beautiful swallowtails.
My big concern with them is that we have a spider that is taking them out. I witnessed this and it is very upsetting. I don’t care for parsley, but love the caterpillars. I go visit them several times a day just to see how big they have become. Mine appear to crawl off to become chrysalis’s as I have never seen one on the plant.
I think you’re right, Terri. The caterpillars do crawl off to form their chrysalis. The monarchs did the same thing last year.
You’re lucky to have three generations of parsley worms! I had just one this spring, even though I still have some of last year’s parsley standing in the garden. Must be a regional difference; I’m in Virginia.
Yes, this is the first year I have seen multiple hatchlings. Last year we had one. I think they are just beautiful.