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Black Swallowtail caterpillar

Papilio polyxenes

Photo by Nicholas4
Published on Project Noah
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40.9492, -74.255

Field Notes

Description:

My daughter found this one on a parsley leaf and called for me to come to see it! I thought she was kidding because she is just two!! My son saw it too and verified it from one of his nature books.. I will add photos again since we have it in a vessel and it seems to want to get a cocoon started! Hope to see the Butterfly emerge..

Notes:

Resting on parsley in the vegetable garden

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (7)
HemaShah
Were you able to see the butterflies emerging?
Nicholas4
Thanks Peter.. missed the lacation.. BTW, got one more two days ago.. it was cold outside, about 50 overnight, but it seem to have survived.. It molted.. I missed it tough.. and now is eating up the parsley leaves.. The first one is still hanging upside down.. will update with photos..
peter
Nicholas can you please update the location of where you saw this caterpillar. Right now the location information is missing. Many thanks.
Nicholas4
I've just added the chrysalis stage photo!! Wow! It began at it's head and quickly moved thru it's entire body in about two hours! I left for work and my wife saw it and shot the last photo!! Just incredible!!
Nicholas4
Thanks for the comments!! Yes I do have a lid... And I will post progress shots.
zayer
Wow! Hope you can post the photo when this caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Thanks!
KeithRoragen
Anise Swallowtail is a western species. Much more likely this is a Black Swallowtail - Papilio polyxenes- which is a similar species. A word of warning, these caterpillars like to go on walkabout before they pupate. If you don't have a lid on the container it is likely to find them pupating on a chair or table leg, or never find them pupating at all.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Butterflies & Moths of the World

Tags

Photographed
PublishedSeptember 5, 2011

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