I found these critters on my Dill plant this morning. They blended in with the plant seamlessly. Note, the above picture does not do this eating machine justice. He (or she) is bright yellow and green. Very vivid.
What the dark green spot on my hand? Yes, that is poop from the worm. He pooped while I was holding him.
So, what happened with them? I threw them in the bushes far, far away from my dill. Note, the dill is right by my cabbage plant as a companion plant to deter cabbage loppers. (BTW, the cabbage loopers were not dissuaded at all and ate some of my cabbage plant.)
These little buggers ate a lot of my dill plant. Help. What are these?
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Those look really cute but I have no idea what they are. Perhaps you should let one or two hatch. Thats fun for the kids too. At the moment I have a cabbage white chrysalis on the back of my door and I left it there just for them to see. I have no idea if it will hatch but it is interesting.
viv in nz
I have had one of these guys munch at my herb garden….
They are the caterpillar from the black swallowtail butterfly.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/28632
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Yes, those are indeed the caterpillars of the black swallowtail butterfly. Also known as parsley worms, these larvae feed on plants in the dill/carrot family, including also parsley, fennel, and even Queen Anne’s lace. You can read more about black swallowtails here: http://insects.about.com/od/butterfliesmoths/p/P_polyxenes.htm.
In my own garden, I’ve planted some dill and parsley in a butterfly area. When I find the caterpillars in my veggie/herb garden munching on the plants I want to harvest, I just collect them and move them to the host plants in the butterfly garden instead. That way, I still get to watch the caterpillars molt and pupate, and eventually become beautiful butterflies, without giving up my entire crop in the garden.
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Thanks, Debbie. I found another one on the carrots! Anna
If you want to deter them and other land locked insects, trying spreading used coffe grounds around the base of the plants. I know that slugs will not cross the grounds.
Hyla, good idea. I will try this next time since most the time I put the coffee in my composter. Worms love it.
Swallowtails are beautiful butterflies. We plant dill and rue specifically for them each year.
this is the first year i have ever encountered these pests. the worms are small but can they ever eat/destroy a dill plant. also, they stink. found a way to get rid of the stink – wear good garden gloves, then put them in a smmall can of gasoline. looks like they will wipe out this years dill
They only stink if threatened. It is their defense system- trying to smell like they won’t taste good. These are amazing creatures.
Valerie, found a ton of them this year on both my dill and fennel. They are beautiful. What does the butterfly look like? Anna
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