Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Familiarize yourself with images of black swallowtail caterpillars and eggs from a field guide or search engine. To find black swallowtail specimens, you'll need to be able to identify them in their various phases. Eggs are small, round and yellowish in color. Very young caterpillars have darker bodies but still carry distinctive black and yellow/orange stripes. More mature caterpillars have green bodies with the same striped patterns along their backs.
Look for black swallowtail caterpillars on the plants they like to eat. Their favorite food sources include fennel, parsley, dill and carrot greens. Swallowtails affix their tiny eggs to the underside of leaves. Nearby, you may also find caterpillars in various stages of development. These hungry youngsters are often surrounded by half-eaten plant leaves. Make sure to take the greenery with you if you remove specimens from the garden in order to raise them indoors. This will maintain their food source and ensure that they aren't damaged in transit.
Prepare an indoor habitat. Mesh butterfly houses (available online or in many hobby stores) are ideal far raising black swallowtail caterpillars. You may also use an old fish tank with a screened top or other see-through glass containers. Make sure that there are air holes at the top. Prop up pencil-sized sticks inside the habitat to support future cocoons.
Provide plenty of food for hungry caterpillars. Black swallowtail caterpillars eat many common garden herbs such as carrot greens, parsley, dill and fennel. Fresh garden herbs are best, though in a pinch some people recommend parsley from your local grocery store. Make sure that the greens you provide have no chemical sprays on them that might harm your caterpillars. Buy organic when possible, and if there is any doubt, rinse the leaves with a mild, biodegradable soap and water.
Purchase a black swallowtail kit online. These are ideal if you cannot locate specimens or if you need many caterpillars for a class project. The International Butterfly Breeders Association website can help guide you to breeders in your area. Kits purchased through the breeders usually include a coupon for caterpillars, informational booklets and the container to raise them in. With luck, host plants in your garden and released butterflies, you'll be able to gather them from your own backyard in years to come.