Caterpillars

In early summer—when I still thought that this could be the year when I became an avid gardener (once again...didn’t happen)—I planted dill, parsley, and rosemary in a giant pot on my front porch. Although all of these herbs thrived, my ambition to become a better cook also largely failed, leaving these herbs to proliferate with little harvesting on my part.

My indolence has been rewarded with (as of this writing) 10 Black Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillars who are happily munching on dill and parsley, leaving only stems behind.

I celebrate their single-minded focus and ravenous hunger!

I have learned that the Black Swallowtail Butterfly goes through 4 stages in its life cycle: egg...larvae (caterpillar)...pupa (chrysalis)...and adult butterfly.

It will take about 2 weeks for the baby caterpillars to be fully grown; at that point, they will attach themselves to something (underside of the growing pot?...different stem or leaf?) and begin the 10-day process of metamorphosis. And then...EUREKA...Black Swallowtail Butterflies.

Alas...they live only 2 to 6 weeks...but what a glorious and beautiful time that will be. Until then, each day I spy on “my” hungry caterpillars, encouraging them to decimate my potted herbs!