Who Pilfered the Parsley? -- Cecil County Flora and Fauna

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Date Posted: 05:09:02 05/12/06 Fri
Author: Beverly
Subject: Who Pilfered the Parsley?

In the raised bed herb garden, here at the Elk River Retirement Ranch, I planted two bunches of parsley, this spring. Unfortunately for me, I noticed, about a week ago, that the parsley had been eaten to the stems! I blamed my Shetland pony, Judy, who is allowed to graze in the yard, as I have seen her over near the raised beds - and indeed, there were tiny hoof prints in the soft soil. Judy must have decided it was easier to cross over the raised bed, than to walk around it! The plants were pretty much defoliated, but I didn't look too closely. I was too busy snipping the flowerheads off the basil.

However, two days ago, while cutting some basil and picking some tomatoes for dinner, I noticed what remained of the parsley - just stems - had about a dozen 'parsley caterpillars' climbing on them!

Brilliantly coloured, the caterpillar has bands of black and bright spring green, with rows of yellow spots. Quite striking! Perhaps Judy was not the only culprit, where the parsely was concerned.

Doing some research on Google, I learned that the parsely caterpillar, when the egg 'hatches', begins its life as a small black creature, with a white 'saddle'. As it matures, eating plants of the parsley family (parsley, Queen Ann's Lace, dillweed, carrot), it goes through several 'instars' - stages where it sheds its skin, much as a snake sheds skin, in order to grow. Its appearance also changes, becoming the dramatic bright green, with black bands, and rows of yellow dots from head to tail, of its last stage of life as a caterpillar. This caterpillar has another colour feature, its orange osmeterium - a gland behind the caterpillar's head, that can be everted (extended from under the surface). This gland produces a substance with a strong odor, thought to repel predators. By taking one caterpillar, parsley stem and all, and touching another caterpillar's head with the cat on the left, I was able to get both caterpillars to extend their osmeteria for this photo op!

After about 6 weeks of life eating parsley, the caterpillar spins a cocoon, and enters its 'chrysalis' stage of life, when it is called a pupa. During this stage, a major metamorphosis occurs. It will take several weeks - for some caterpillars, a whole season - but when the changing is over, the resulting creature does not resemble the caterpillar, at all! It emerges from the cocoon as a butterfly - its wings wet and folded. Its body pumps fluid into the veins of the wings, causing them to expand outward, and dry. In the case of the parsley caterpillar, the resulting butterfly is called a Black Swallowtail - a very beautiful and large butterfly.

Life as a butterfly is short - perhaps two weeks - and fraught with danger - many birds eat butterflies. Now, the butterfly will eat nectar, and drink from wet mud or sand, while it seeks a mate, and a place to lay eggs for the next generation of parsley caterpillars and Black Swallowtails. The Black Swallowtail I photographed was getting its nectar from the New York Ironweed, but I've also seen this species on the joe pye weed, and the butterfly bush, in my yard.

Next spring, I intend to put in much more parsley - and I'll be putting a wire guard around the raised beds, to keep Judy at bay. But I'll be planting the parsley more for the caterpillars, than for my plate! (I'm just glad no caterpillars seem to like basil!)

What's in YOUR garden, pilfering parsley?

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Re: Who Pilfered the Parsley? -- steph (surprised), 12:55:21 08/27/07 Mon
- I hope you'll have a butterfly, and that you'll let us know .... -- Beverly, 15:25:14 09/06/07 Thu

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>color=blue>In the raised bed herb garden, here at the >Elk River Retirement Ranch, I planted two bunches of >parsley, this spring. Unfortunately for me, I noticed, >about a week ago, that the parsley had been eaten to >the stems! I blamed my Shetland pony, Judy, who is >allowed to graze in the yard, as I have seen her over >near the raised beds - and indeed, there were tiny >hoof prints in the soft soil. Judy must have decided >it was easier to cross over the raised bed, than to >walk around it! The plants were pretty much >defoliated, but I didn't look too closely. I was too >busy snipping the flowerheads off the basil. > >However, two days ago, while cutting some basil and >picking some tomatoes for dinner, I noticed what >remained of the parsley - just stems - had about a >dozen 'parsley caterpillars' climbing on them!style> > ><center><a rel=nofollow target=_blank >href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img >src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/Beverly4Hea >ther/DSC00525.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video >and Image Hosting"></a></center> > >color=blue>Brilliantly coloured, the caterpillar has >bands of black and bright spring green, with rows of >yellow spots. Quite striking! Perhaps Judy was not the >only culprit, where the parsely was concerned. > >Doing some research on Google, I learned that the >parsely caterpillar, when the egg 'hatches', begins >its life as a small black creature, with a white >'saddle'. As it matures, eating plants of the parsley >family (parsley, Queen Ann's Lace, dillweed, carrot), >it goes through several 'instars' - stages where it >sheds its skin, much as a snake sheds skin, in order >to grow. Its appearance also changes, becoming the >dramatic bright green, with black bands, and rows of >yellow dots from head to tail, of its last stage of >life as a caterpillar. This caterpillar has another >colour feature, its orange osmeterium - a gland behind >the caterpillar's head, that can be everted (extended >from under the surface). This gland produces a >substance with a strong odor, thought to repel >predators. By taking one caterpillar, parsley stem and >all, and touching another caterpillar's head with the >cat on the left, I was able to get both caterpillars >to extend their osmeteria for this photo op! > >After about 6 weeks of life eating parsley, the >caterpillar spins a cocoon, and enters its 'chrysalis' >stage of life, when it is called a pupa. During this >stage, a major metamorphosis occurs. It will take >several weeks - for some caterpillars, a whole season >- but when the changing is over, the resulting >creature does not resemble the caterpillar, at all! It >emerges from the cocoon as a butterfly - its wings wet >and folded. Its body pumps fluid into the veins of the >wings, causing them to expand outward, and dry. In the >case of the parsley caterpillar, the resulting >butterfly is called a Black Swallowtail - a very >beautiful and large butterfly.size> > ><center><a rel=nofollow target=_blank >href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img >src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/Beverly4Hea >ther/BlackSwallow.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - >Video and Image Hosting"></a></center> > >color=blue>Life as a butterfly is short - perhaps two >weeks - and fraught with danger - many birds eat >butterflies. Now, the butterfly will eat nectar, and >drink from wet mud or sand, while it seeks a mate, and >a place to lay eggs for the next generation of parsley >caterpillars and Black Swallowtails. The Black >Swallowtail I photographed was getting its nectar from >the New York Ironweed, but I've also seen this species >on the joe pye weed, and the butterfly bush, in my >yard. > >Next spring, I intend to put in much more parsley - >and I'll be putting a wire guard around the raised >beds, to keep Judy at bay. But I'll be planting the >parsley more for the caterpillars, than for my plate! >(I'm just glad no caterpillars seem to like basil!) > >What's in YOUR garden, pilfering parsley?style>
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