LIFE CYCLE OF A BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY

THE MIRACLE OF METAMORPHOSIS

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORPHING FROM CATERPILLAR TO ADULT BUTTERFLY

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First Instar Stage
Second Instar Stage
Third Instar Stage

Full Grown Caterpillar
Pre-Pupa Stage
Early Pupa Stage

Late Pupa Stage
Recently Emerged Butterfly
Adult Butterfly with Chrysalis Shell

Black Swallowtail-Male
Black Swallowtail-Female

post a comment

cassie 15-Aug-2008 12:54

I had 7 cats looking to be at stage 4 till yesterday - they started from a parsely pot.. Now have only two and have been looking all over for the others. Did catch one off the dish as if "looking for something" I just did not know what to do at this point. Caught your website and poked some heavier twigs amongst the parsley......now just waiting.
It really has been a science project enjoyment for my daughter and myself to watch the process from seeing the eggs to now. Crossing our fingers to have the final stage set.

Guest 12-Aug-2008 16:01

Hi all,
I lost a whole batch of caterpillars (within hours) and thought it was a bird coming to pick them off...they weren't ready to pupate yet, but probably close to the 3 stage. Starting to get pudgy. I then saw a wasp checking each fennel stem very carefully and got a thought...I checked online and found that wasps indeed prey on caterpillars....very gross stuff, but basically they use them as food for their own larvae. I had a second batch hatch and within a week, only 3 remained. I took those inside to a bug cage and have feed them myself. All are getting ready to pupate now. I've also read that only 3% of wild caterpillars survive...due to wasps? My friend had the same problem with her outdoor fennel plant. I think next round I'll put a mesh shield over the plant, once I see eggs.

Guest 06-Aug-2008 18:30

I hsce 2 Fennell Plants in a Raised Flowerbed attached to my Patio. There hasve been over 25 Caterpillars feeding on the Fennell & then disappeared. I presume to go into the Pupa Stage. The problem is I cannot located them. Where would be a good plasce to look. (The Butterflies are feeding on 2 large Lantana Plants in the same Bed.

Johnny 05-Aug-2008 00:05

I put a couple of full grown swallowtail caterpillars in a cutout jug with some parsley and twigs. The caterpillars ate up the parsley and then moved over to the twigs to transform into the pupa. So I would say that they may want something a little more stable to nest in, but still stay off of the ground. I also
noticed that all of the pics of the pupa are on thicker branches.

Ginny Haskell 01-Aug-2008 14:21

Great photos. I've been watching third stage swallowtail caterpillers on my parsley. I just found the tiny blank caterpillers this morning and was thrilled to learn from your photos that they are the same thing. I never seem to find the pupas. Should they be hanging on the parsley or would they drop to the ground? Do the caterpillers move to something else to make their pupa? I don't want to hoe around the parsley and ruin them.

LC Goh 30-May-2008 11:19

Very interesting and well recorded. Cheers !

click on thumbnails for full image

First Instar Stage	Second Instar Stage	Third Instar Stage
Full Grown Caterpillar	Pre-Pupa Stage	Early Pupa Stage
Late Pupa Stage	Recently Emerged Butterfly	Adult Butterfly with Chrysalis Shell
Black Swallowtail-Male	Black Swallowtail-Female

cassie		15-Aug-2008 12:54
I had 7 cats looking to be at stage 4 till yesterday - they started from a parsely pot.. Now have only two and have been looking all over for the others. Did catch one off the dish as if "looking for something" I just did not know what to do at this point. Caught your website and poked some heavier twigs amongst the parsley......now just waiting. It really has been a science project enjoyment for my daughter and myself to watch the process from seeing the eggs to now. Crossing our fingers to have the final stage set.

Guest		12-Aug-2008 16:01
Hi all, I lost a whole batch of caterpillars (within hours) and thought it was a bird coming to pick them off...they weren't ready to pupate yet, but probably close to the 3 stage. Starting to get pudgy. I then saw a wasp checking each fennel stem very carefully and got a thought...I checked online and found that wasps indeed prey on caterpillars....very gross stuff, but basically they use them as food for their own larvae. I had a second batch hatch and within a week, only 3 remained. I took those inside to a bug cage and have feed them myself. All are getting ready to pupate now. I've also read that only 3% of wild caterpillars survive...due to wasps? My friend had the same problem with her outdoor fennel plant. I think next round I'll put a mesh shield over the plant, once I see eggs.

Guest		06-Aug-2008 18:30
I hsce 2 Fennell Plants in a Raised Flowerbed attached to my Patio. There hasve been over 25 Caterpillars feeding on the Fennell & then disappeared. I presume to go into the Pupa Stage. The problem is I cannot located them. Where would be a good plasce to look. (The Butterflies are feeding on 2 large Lantana Plants in the same Bed.

Johnny		05-Aug-2008 00:05
I put a couple of full grown swallowtail caterpillars in a cutout jug with some parsley and twigs. The caterpillars ate up the parsley and then moved over to the twigs to transform into the pupa. So I would say that they may want something a little more stable to nest in, but still stay off of the ground. I also noticed that all of the pics of the pupa are on thicker branches.

Ginny Haskell		01-Aug-2008 14:21
Great photos. I've been watching third stage swallowtail caterpillers on my parsley. I just found the tiny blank caterpillers this morning and was thrilled to learn from your photos that they are the same thing. I never seem to find the pupas. Should they be hanging on the parsley or would they drop to the ground? Do the caterpillers move to something else to make their pupa? I don't want to hoe around the parsley and ruin them.

LC Goh		30-May-2008 11:19
Very interesting and well recorded. Cheers !