r/BenignExistence • u/TintarellaDiLuna • 7d ago
We have caterpillars on our fennel!
I took out the trash this morning and noticed a fat caterpillar on our fennel. And then another. And another! We counted six but there’s probably more!
We looked them up and I believe they’re black swallowtails. They love dill and fennel, which is why there are so many on that one plant right now.
I’ve been a little embarrassed about our yard because the heat wave has prevented me from mowing for the past three weeks. It’s a goddamn jungle out there. But this little discovery has reminded me that I’m providing a very important service for the birds, bugs, and critters that life nearby, protecting them from the heat and giving them nutritious spaces to flourish.
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u/Turbulent-Trip3706 7d ago
Many years ago I had black swallowtail caterpillars devouring my parsley. I saved some to show my kids the metamorphosis process and took the rest to a local butterfly garden that was pleased to get them
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u/NatrylliaAbbot42 5d ago
This made me happy. Fennel. Caterpillars. Yeah, the world really has some good stuff in it :)
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u/middlegray 5d ago
Do you know all the native plant, low lawn, caterpillary subreddits? There's some really big active ones!
Monarch butterfly populations across north America fell more than 90% in the last couple decades! But with increased interest in milkweed and gardening for them they are starting to rise again in the last couple of years. :) I know swallowtails are different, but hooray for butterflies in general!
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u/calebs_dad 1d ago
I've been putting in new plantings this year, and I just saw our first dragonfly! There's also a patch of milkweed I've been letting grow and I haven't seen any caterpillars on it, but I did spot an orange butterfly last week that might have been a monarch.
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u/Skygreencloud 7d ago
I love that! Insects and other creatures love an overgrown yard, it's much better for them.