I've been growing black swallowtail butterfly from eggs to adults. I feed them with rue, dill, and parsley.
They take about a month to complete the growth cycle.
Very interesting to see them eat and poop so much
and so fast!
It's amazing to see the butterfly come out of the chrysalis. I used to frame them, but now I just let them fly away.
One interesting thing is that once the caterpillars reach full size, they leave the feeding plant and roam around looking for a place to attach themselves and become chrysalis. I find chrysalis at odd places around the apartment. It's touch to find them sometimes but always fun!
Two of them chose my orchids for their sites.
First two photos show an adult coming out on a spike of green complex paph. The next set show a green chrysalis on a miltoniopsis.
The last picture is from one caterpillar in less than two hours. All they do is eat, rest, poop and grow.
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
Threaded Mode
