Caterpillar Invasion
All Sides
July 29, 2023, 7:25 am
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8 Comments
By an edhat reader
I have a large brick patio behind my house. In the last couple of days I have seen about a dozen little caterpillars trying to cross it. The heat made me think that they would not make it. I started pouring a little water in the grout joints in front of them. A couple of them got stepped on, so I got a piece of junk mail thin cardboard and let the rest of them crawl up. Took them to planters and dumped them.
They are about 3/4 inch long with a wider front half than back. White stripe across the middle. Anybody have an idea what they may be? There are Monarchs flying around, so that was my first thought. I tried to search on line but could not find a picture. I know, this is not news. Just a question for a person with knowledge.
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8 Comments
Try this:
https://www.caterpillaridentification.org
Black Swallowtails are one of the most common garden butterflies in southern California. They love flower nectar and frequently stop to drink on garden plants. Their caterpillars use cultivated herbs like parsley and mint as host plants.
http://www.butterflygardeningandconservation.com/butterfly/st/black.php
OP: If you can find those caterpillars again, try relocating them to any parsley, fennel, dill, carrots or Queen Anne’s Lace you may have in your garden. As the caterpillars are only 3rd instar, they are probably in search of food. Hope you get to see the adults flying soon.
OP: I forgot to mention that it could also be an Anise Swallowtail caterpillar or a Western Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar. These and the Black Swallowtail all show the “white stripe across the middle” when in their third instar (final stage of larval development). Apologies for being remiss in the information given.
If you don’t know what they are, squash all of those suckers. Caterpillars suck, ruining my weed plants
Harmful attitude. I hope that more people plant natives that are attractive to butterflies and caterpillars. Lepidoptera, along with other pollinators, are necessary for the survival of the human species.
Hopefully NOT the Asian Tau flies that are causing quarantine in part of CA,