A couple of months ago I planted some fennel in our backyard. I'd heard that they are host plants for swallowtail butterflies. I guess it's true! Today I counted six caterpillars munching their way through the fine fennel leaves. Google tells me they are
Black Swallowtail caterpillars and that they will go through several instars (stages between molts) before forming a chrysalis.
This guy is in his first instar and is about a 1/4 inch long. He still has some growing to do!
The caterpillar below is about an inch long and is in his third, or possibly fourth, instar. I will be watching them closely to see if I can catch one in mid-molt.
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