How do they find me?

duckfan · July 21, 2011

I've got to be the only person in my town who bothers to grow Parsley. Today I found "Parsley Worms" in my tiny patch. This is a bug whose diet is specific enough that it earned the name Parsley Worm. To me that means that Parsley is their preferred diet and that they eat little else. I'm 62 years old, Ive been gardening for over 40 years and I've never seen these things before. Where did they come from ? How the heck did they find me?
P.S. They are kinda cute. As long as they don't eat too much I'm going to let them stay.

kath · July 21, 2011

They grow up to be black swallowtail butterflies and seem to find my parsley every year no matter where I plant it. The parent must know what the kids are going to like to eat.

I've also found them on carrots and dill.

Hope you have a lot of parsley 'cause if you let 'em stay they'll strip the plants.

Mudman · July 21, 2011

They found my parsley last year too. First time for me too. I called my kids over and said, "Look at this neat bug." Then I noticed about 20 more and only on the parsley. Luckily for me it was just before our fall frost so I let them dine.

bcday · July 21, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by duckfan

Where did they come from ? How the heck did they find me?

Their mama was a Black Swallowtail butterfly and she found your parsley by aerial reconnaissance.

I would be thrilled if if they would eat the thriving patch I have of Bishops Goutweed, another member of the parsley/carrot/dill family. That stuff just keeps coming back no matter how close I think I am to having it finally gone.

I like Black Swallowtail butterflies and I don't like parsley, so they can have all they want of that too.

lurley · July 21, 2011

When we find them we put them in a jar with a stick and more parsley. When they are ready to cocoon they crawl up the stick and attach themselves. I actually got to watch one last year..I thought they spun a string like a spider until they were covered but they don't do it that way. They pull a whole sleeping bag out of their backside and zip it up and over themselves...way cool. And when come out of their cocoon they go outside on the nice large flat headed flowers like daisies, coneflowers, etc. They are really pretty. Just don't mess with them when they are attached to the stick but not cocooned yet.. they will scare you (at least they did my daughter) with bright orange antennae that pop out the top of their head and I think they can spray too but not sure, but they make a freaky noise when they do it....scared my 7 year old half to death last year.

arivaraci · July 21, 2011

Wow now I want parsley just for the critters!

July 21, 2011	#1
duckfan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Long Island formerly zone 6 Posts: 61	How do they find me? I've got to be the only person in my town who bothers to grow Parsley. Today I found "Parsley Worms" in my tiny patch. This is a bug whose diet is specific enough that it earned the name Parsley Worm. To me that means that Parsley is their preferred diet and that they eat little else. I'm 62 years old, Ive been gardening for over 40 years and I've never seen these things before. Where did they come from ? How the heck did they find me? P.S. They are kinda cute. As long as they don't eat too much I'm going to let them stay.

July 21, 2011	#3
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	They found my parsley last year too. First time for me too. I called my kids over and said, "Look at this neat bug." Then I noticed about 20 more and only on the parsley. Luckily for me it was just before our fall frost so I let them dine. __________________ Mike

July 21, 2011	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	They grow up to be black swallowtail butterflies and seem to find my parsley every year no matter where I plant it. The parent must know what the kids are going to like to eat. I've also found them on carrots and dill. Hope you have a lot of parsley 'cause if you let 'em stay they'll strip the plants.

July 21, 2011	#5
lurley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 741	When we find them we put them in a jar with a stick and more parsley. When they are ready to cocoon they crawl up the stick and attach themselves. I actually got to watch one last year..I thought they spun a string like a spider until they were covered but they don't do it that way. They pull a whole sleeping bag out of their backside and zip it up and over themselves...way cool. And when come out of their cocoon they go outside on the nice large flat headed flowers like daisies, coneflowers, etc. They are really pretty. Just don't mess with them when they are attached to the stick but not cocooned yet.. they will scare you (at least they did my daughter) with bright orange antennae that pop out the top of their head and I think they can spray too but not sure, but they make a freaky noise when they do it....scared my 7 year old half to death last year.

July 21, 2011	#6
arivaraci Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 199	Wow now I want parsley just for the critters!