i can has parsley?
September 14, 2009
I was at my Grandmother’s today and I grabbed a quick shot of these guys chowing down.  I believe I’ve correctly identified them via your site (because your description specifically mentions parsley!)
I hope you like this group shot of what I believe are Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars.
iphone photo:
Here’s my flickr entry:
Thanks for maintaining such a great site,
Casey

Black Swallowtail Caterpillars? or Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars???

Hi Casey,
Since you did not provide a location, we are not certain if these are Black Swallowtails or Anise Swallowtails.  The caterpillars look very similar and both will feed on parsley.  If you live in the central to eastern states, these are Black Swallowtails.  If you are west of the Rocky Mountains, they are Anise Swallowtails.

Thanks.
I live in Georgia so they would be Black Swallowtails.
Thanks guys.

Bander caterpillar, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
August 1, 2009
Hi. I found this gorgeous caterpillar hanging on to a stalk of poison hemlock yesterday in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco yesterday. (It’s August first today.) I’m dying to know what kind of butterfly or moth it will become.
Thanks
Harvey
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar

Hi Harvey,
This is an Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar, Papilio zelicaon.  The caterpillars are generally found on sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) which is an introduced plant.  It is also found on carrot tops and parsley in the home garden.  According to Charles Hogue in his book, Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, “Before the introduction of these foreign plants, the larvae fed on various native umbellifers, such a Lamotium, Heracleum, and Tauschia species.”  We have never heard of them feeding on Poison Hemlock, Conium maculatum, but as it is in the same family, Apiaceae, as the other plants, this is not unusual.

Green Swallowtail Chrysalis??
Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Dear Bugman,
Thanks so much for your amazing site!! Yours is a favorite around here!
My husband accidentally washed this Chrysalis off of one of our children’s outdoor toys today. After visiting your site it looked like a some sort of swallowtail, but I haven’t seen such a beautiful green one before. He didn’t see it until after it was washed off so I don’t know if it was right side up , held with a girdle or upside down.
Also is there any way we can save it? It was undamaged and I have been very gentle in my handling of it.
It’s June st today, we live in southern central Washington State in a wooded area at about 200 ft. As you can see the chrysalis is about 1.5 inches long.
Thank you so much, Heidi
cental southern Washington state

Mystery Chrysalis, probably Swallowtail

Dear Heidi,
The main distinguishing feature of a Swallowtail Chrysalis is the silken girdle that keeps the pupa upright. Since this Chrysalis has been dislodged, it if impossible for us to be certain if the girdle was present. That said, we are not certain that this is a Swallowtail Chrysalis, but it is definitely a butterfly and not a moth. If the Chrysalis is undamaged, it may “hatch” and regarding color, the color of a Chrysalis changes as the metamorphosis occurs. We would love to hear back if and when this Chrysalis hatches , especially if you can provide images of the butterfly.

Update:
Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:15 PM
Hi Daniel,
Sometimes when I log in, type a comment, and then click “Post”, a message states that my words are awaiting approval.  More often, like today, I see no such affirmation, which leads me to suspect that my two comments went into a black hole.  Thus, I’m also sending them to you directly – hope that’s OK.
Cheers,
Keith

Hi Heidi,
Your beautiful chrysalis is most likely that of the Pale Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) – please see http://www.utahlepsociety.org/peurymedon.html – though Western (P. rutulus) and Two-tailed (P. multicaudata) tiger swallowtails have very similar pupae and are thus possibilities.  According to Bob Pyle’s The Butterflies of Cascadia, 2002: “In the northwest, the hostplants are chiefly species of Ceanothus (buckbrush, mountain balm, mountain lilac) east of the Cascades, red alder and cascara on the west side;  ocean spray, serviceberry, and bittercherry are also used, and we observed oviposition and reared it on hardhack (Douglas spiraea).”  Do any of these shrubs/trees grow on your property?  I hope the butterfly emerges OK . . . even better if your family can watch it do so (typically in the morning).  Good luck!
Best wishes,
Keith Wolfe

Caterpillar found in Norther California
Tue, May 26, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Hello,
My son brought home this caterpillar from a close by river. We still have it in his bug catcher with some leaves and other foliage from there and it has since cocooned.
I am curious as to what this is.
Thank you!
Delia Campos
Sacramento, CA at the American River

Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar

Hi Delia,
This is the caterpillar of a Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor, a lovely blue-green butterfly with orange spots on the undersides of the wings.

Caterpillar
Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 6:21 PM
Dear Bugman,
Today, I found this caterpillar on my driveway underneath a Hickory tree. It is about 1 1/2 inches long, light brown, purple dots and two, yellow, “eye-like” dots on its body behind its head. When I carefully picked it up, I must have startled it and a strange yellow, forked tongue(?) came to its defense along with a strange odor. I’ve seen many insect defense mechanisms but none quite like this. Anyway, I live in Sussex County, New Jersey (northwest) and have never seen a caterpillar like this. Looking at your photos it appears to be a swallowtail of some type. Can you identify for sure? Thanks!
Tina Newfield
Northwest NJ, Sussex County

Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar

Hi Tina,
This is most likely an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar, but you are also within the range of the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail.  This typically green caterpillar changes color to brown or occasionally orange just before pupation.  The scent gland you mentioned is characteristic of the swallowtails and is known as the osmetrium.