What are these and where are they coming from?
This morning I discovered my parsley plant under attack from dozens of very colorful and cool-looking worms. This just happened, since two days ago I picked some and the plant was fine.
In all the years that I have been planting herbs, this is the first time I get an infestation such as this. When I come home from work tonight, I am going to try to save the plant. Picking worms off a plant is not my idea of a pleasant gardening evening but it has to be done!
12 comments:
They look like caterpillars to me Rusty but I don't know which one as I am not familiar with the kinds of butterflies you have in Florida. You do need to pick them off as they will eat all your parsley.
They look to be black swallowtail caterpillars.
http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg266.html
Go to that site to learn more. It seems your parsley is a host for them.
I also think they are black swallowtail caterpillars. Personally, I'd saacrifice the parsley because I love butterflies!
Yep, black swallowtail caterpillars. They love parsley and fennel. Depending upon how much you like parsley...maybe share with the butterfies?
Thanks everyone for the info. I have planted many butterfly friendly plants in my garden. If these little guys are Black Swallowtail, you can be sure they are welcome in my garden. I can sacrifice a Parsley plant any time, and now that I know they like it, I’ll make sure to have plenty of parsley around. This past winter we had many Black Swallowtail butterflies visiting, I am glad to see that one decided it was a great place to laid her eggs.
Hi Rusty...everyone else has told you what they are. I am a butterfly lover, so bye bye parsley. You can always buy some parsley from the food market?
Parsley.....butterflies I know which way I go. Let us know what you decided.
Beautiful to see, thank you.
Wow! Lucky you! You have so many of them!
I grow parsley just for the purpose of attracting the black swallowtail butterfly, (caterpillars).
I usually take a few sprigs of parsley and a caterpillar or two, (or three), and put them in a container so I can watch them emerge close-up.
Hi Rusty, you had me scared there for a minute, thought you were going to pick off the wonderful caterpillars. Whew! Buy more parsley, and some fennel, bronze or regular. My black swallowtails, I wonder if they are the same as you have, love the bronze fennel which seeds all over so there is always plenty for them. They can take a large plant down to the main stem in a day however. Maybe you better get a flat of them! ;->
Frances at Faire Garden
When I saw the picture I started hollering, "DON'T KILL THEM, DON'T KILL THEM." Then I read the post. They are the prettiest butterflies. If you would like more of them grow fennel and dill as well as parsley.
I also panicked when I read your post. I am glad that you read your comments before picking the caterpillars off your parsley. I have never seen that many in one place. You are very lucky!
I've grown parsley for many years (even in florida)..they are host plants for butterflies. I always plant extra parsley..so that there is enough to share with them. It won't kill the plant..they will strip some of it as they munch..but then they will move on and the plant come right back. I started laughing when I read this blog..I can remember being perplexed too. Also..Aunt Debbi's comment..LOL...that's exactly what I was shouting...
Boy am I glad I found this post. I got back from a week long vacation and upon checking my garden, I found my parsley as what appeard to be dire straits. I thought to myself it's a good thing I'm not a huge parsley fan. My second thought was maybe I'll hose down the plant and hope they fall off. When I read what these little wormies were though, what a joy. I'll share my parsley with these little guys anyday. Butterflies, yay!
Post a Comment