What kind of caterpillar is this?

[MaryMary]

I decided to let a carrot stay in the garden over the winter, so I could harvest the seeds next year. I just found a caterpillar on it. I'm not worried about it being a pest, it's October and the garden is done. Just curious as to what it is.

I put it back on the carrot after I took the picture!!

Sorry it's not the best image, all pictures are taken with my phone.

Thanks!!

 

[Chuck]

Looks like a Black Swallow Tailed butterfly caterpillar to me.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Yep, looks like a Black Swallowtail Caterpillar. Consider planting Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea). Then, in future years, whenever you find Swallowtail Caterpillars on your carrots, you can move them over to the Golden Alexanders.

 

[MaryMary]

Yay!! After a brief google, I have seen other pictures, and learned that carrots are a host plant. I am doubly glad I left it there.

@JBtheExplorer, the Golden Alexanders are perennial? I already bought parsley seeds for the swallowtails, because I learned from @marlingardener that parsley is a host plant.

P.S. - @marlingardener, look what I got!!

(Happy, happy, joy, joy!!)

 

[Beth_B]

Yes! I had a couple of those in my garden too.
I think it means your garden is a fertile and welcoming place.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Yay!! After a brief google, I have seen other pictures, and learned that carrots are a host plant. I am doubly glad I left it there.

@JBtheExplorer, the Golden Alexanders are perennial? I already bought parsley seeds for the swallowtails, because I learned from @marlingardener that parsley is a host plant.

P.S. - marlingardener, look what I got!!

(Happy, happy, joy, joy!!)

Golden Alexanders are short-lived perennials, though they can self-seed, and fairly easy to collect seed & keep them going year after year. I actually just bought Golden Alexander seeds myself from this eBay seller:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zizia-Aurea...114037?hash=item41af5f0435:g:AQ4AAOSwRgJXmSDe


I've already planted so many host plants for Monarchs, I decided to start helping Black Swallowtails, too.

 

[Beverly]

Yes indeed @MaryMary black swallow caterpillars are so beautiful and sweet and they turn into stunning butterflies. It looks to be of a size that may pupate pretty soon. When it is ready to pupate, it will likely leave its food source and wander around looking for a place to make its chrysalis (sometimes they do pupate on the food source plant). It would be great if you are able to track (look for a poop trail) and watch the entire process until the butterfly comes out. Figure on about 9 days in the chrysalis, or if the weather gets cold it may go into diapause and not come out until spring. I'm not sure how that works up north, but JB can probably give you some tips.

 

[MaryMary]

@Beverly, now I'll have to read up on butterflies!! Our nights are getting in the low 40s now, so it'd better do something quick!!

I'm just assuming for now that "diapause" is the butterfly version of torpor, or hibernation...?

 

[Beverly]

@MaryMary you assume correctly the word "diapause" applies to insects. Don't worry and don't panic. The caterpillar knows what to do and when. Is the pillar still eating? and still on its carrot? Have you called on @JBtheExplorer ? I think JB is in the north central part of the US in a climate similar to yours and he (or she?) will be able to tell you what to expect your pillar to do. It will make a chrysalis when it is ready. If it doesn't make a chrysalis at all within the next few weeks, then it is probably not healthy, although it looked pretty healthy in your pic.

 

[Beverly]

Oh yes i see JB (in Wisconsin) has posted to your thread. It looks like JB has been focusing on the Monarchs and not so much on the Swallowtails, but he or she can tell you what is common for Monarchs to do at this time of year and you can get an idea of what to expect.