I've been worried and a bit depressed about my butterfly garden. Things just haven't been doing so well. Some things I planted just didn't live. Others do well for a bit and then seem to falter. Then the other day when I absolutely totally gave it a good soaking... things seem to be perking up! Guess I've been so used to things in containers that I haven't been giving this bed enough water. And with the drought conditions... poor things were just thirsty! Oh yeah... caterpillars! While giving it another good watering today, I noticed a few little "somethings" on the fennel. CATS!!!! I was so tickled I had to get Hubby to come take a look at them. Aren't they the cutest things ever!!! caterpillars ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) My first caterpillars in my first butterfly garden. Talk about a sight to lift the spirits!
Those are the first, second or third instar of the Black Swallowtail http://www.butterflygardeningandconserv ... /black.php Keep an eye out for red wasps, they eat caterpillars and can decimate a family of instars and caterpillars before you know it.
I was right in my guess that they were Black Swallowtails! See... I'm learning! Now... YIKES! There's lots of red wasps around. Is there anything I can do to help protect them?
A can of wasp spray in one hand every time you wander thru the garden is what I had to do last year but even with that I lost over 3 dozen Swallowtail cats last year to them. I need to find a soil treatment since the red wasp is an underground nester. They didn't go after the Gulf Fritillaries as much, so those are the ones I concentrated on saving most of last year.
Hmmmm... soil treatment would be good. wonder if there is something like that? I'll start looking for info. They better stay away from those little cuties!
Had a thought! If Vicks VapoRub works well keeping the wasps from the hummingbird feeder... why not put some around the fennel? So I dabbed some on the light pole in the middle of the bed... and put some on the stone's surrounding it too! I did just get back from the store and picked up an extra can wasp spray.
They are growing so quickly! here's how they look today. Oh yeah... I count 6 of them now! caterpillar ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden )
Very interesting. I have never seen an "in the wild' butterfly garden. We have one next town over where hundreds of butterflies are in an inclosed setting designed propagation and development of butterflies. With temperatures in the 90's and 100% humidity a walk through the enclosure with the butterflies is like walking into a bath, however, the viewing area is cooler. Jerry
Well... it was in the 90s today and it won't be long until the humidity is just as high... all that was missing is the "enclosure"!
