This is Parsley, a Black Swallowtail Caterpillar. Join us in watching his transformation from Caterpillar to Butterfly!
We found Parsley outside our house. It is getting late in September so we thought we would take him in and build him a habitat. Here is how we did that.
1. Find a suitable box that is safe for your Caterpillar, like a tupperware box, and fill it with dirt, just enough to cover the bottom pretty well.
2. find a stick that will support the caterpillars weight, and that will sit up in the habitat enough to let the Caterpillar hang from it.
3. Place the stick in the habitat as mentioned above, with enough room for the Caterpillar to suspend it's body from the stick.
4. Transfer your Caterpillar safely to his new habitat.
5. Poke holes in the boxes cover, so the Caterpillar can breath. The more holes the better, just make sure your Caterpillar cannot fit through the holes!
6. Place the food that your particular Caterpillar likes to eat inside the habitat, where the Caterpillar can reach it.
7. Place the lid on the habitat once your Caterpillar is safe inside with his food.
Now we wait. The Caterpillar will find the place where he wants to start transforming into his Chrysalis soon.
Day 1
Here is Parsley the next day after being put into his new habitat. We'll call it Day 1, because this is the first day of his start to transforming into a Butterfly.
Notice the little white line attached to his body that connects to the stick. He has anchored himself to the stick to being the process. Notice too his legs have somewhat disappeared. He is beginning to molt the last time, which means he sheds his skin. When he does this he will reveal the Chrysalis underneath that last shed skin.
Day 2
Day 2 shows Parsley has changed a lot in such a short amount of time! He doesn't even look like himself! His habitat got flipped to the other side when this photo was taken, that is why the strings that connect him seem to be on the other side. He didn't move, we moved the habitat.
Notice though how you can see both strings now in Day 2, where you could only see one string on the Day 1 photo. His body is changing size right now, he is getting smaller and changing shape, so we can now see both strings supporting him and holding him onto the stick.
Notice though how you can see both strings now in Day 2, where you could only see one string on the Day 1 photo. His body is changing size right now, he is getting smaller and changing shape, so we can now see both strings supporting him and holding him onto the stick.
Day 3
Here is Parsley on Day 3. Notice he looks a bit wooden now. He blends in well with the stick he is suspended from.
See that black, white and yellow looking object below Parsley? I believe that is his face and part of his body that he molted off during that last molt! Keep checking back to see Parsley's progress!
Day 4
Here is Parsley on Day 4. I think he may look a bit lighter from the camera, not sure. Not much has changed on Day 4.
Come back soon to check in on Parsley!
Come back soon to check in on Parsley!
Day 5
Here is Parsley on Day 5. Still hanging in there!
Day 6
Parsley on Day 6. Looking similar to the past few days now on the outside, but think of the changes going on on the inside!
Day 7
Parsley is halfway through his transformation! Here is a close up of him.
Day 8
Parsley is a bit smaller I think on day 8. His chrysalis may be a bit darker in places too.
Day 9
Here is Parsley on Day 9. I bet his body looks very, very different on the inside of that chrysalis about now!
Day 10
Here's Parsley on Day 10. Should be only 4 days to go!
Day 11
Parsley on Day 11!
Day 12
Parsley on Day 12.
Day 13
Parsley on Day 13.
Day 14
Parsley on Day 14! This should be the day. Nothing has happened yet!
Day 15
Still waiting Parsley, on Day 15!
Day 16
Day 16 and still waiting! I think Parsley might overwinter. Which means he may stay in his chrysalis til Spring. I will continue doing pictures everyday until the 3 week mark. Then if he still hasn't come out then I will update weekly with pictures until he does come out.
Day 17
Day 17, still waiting.
Day 18
Day 18. Waiting..
Day 19
Day 19. Waiting..
Day 20
Day 20...Come on Parsley!
Day 21
Day 21. This is the day we stopped taking daily photos, as we figured Parsley would overwinter and hatch in the Spring. The Chrysalis hadn't changed much either for a bit. But then...at the almost two month mark...
Surprise!!
Parsley hatched! Something else we discovered too. Parsley is a girl! How can we tell? She has small yellow spots on her wings and larger blue spots on her wings, while a male would have had larger yellow spots and smaller blue spots. Their wing shape can be different too.
So what took her so much longer to hatch than the usual two weeks? I think the fact that it was fall and getting colder and she was indoors in her Chrysalis, which would make things different for her, as temperature can affect creatures a great deal in their lives.
So what took her so much longer to hatch than the usual two weeks? I think the fact that it was fall and getting colder and she was indoors in her Chrysalis, which would make things different for her, as temperature can affect creatures a great deal in their lives.
Transformation Complete!
From Caterpillar to Butterfly, Parsley is now flying somewhere out there, living her life!