My parsley plant is being devoured before my eyes and I am excited! The defoliaters are the caterpillar and larvae of Swallowtail Butterflies. They are gorgeous in the garden but even the caterpillars are beautiful. The larva–not so much. They look like odd, fuzzy pieces of black lint–a lot like ladybug larvae.
Two years ago, I saw a Black Swallowtail unfold his wings and take his first flight. That year he and his siblings wiped out a dill plant but it was well worth it. I saw them last year, too, but did not catch a cocoon emergence. I’ve got my fingers crossed for this year.Meanwhile, elsewhere in the garden, the hibiscus–yellow, red, orange and pink continue to bloom nearly every day and volunteer sunflowers are turning their heads to the sun all over my backyard.