On our potted parsley and dill plants, we have discovered what appear to be black swallowtail caterpillars. We are okay with them munching the plants, but what can we do to protect the caterpillars from birds? We have a house wren pair actively feeding their young about 50 feet away. So far they have not discovered the caterpillars, but if we found them, the birds will also. Any suggestions? Mike and Sue Pohlod Bristol CT

Mosquito netting? Paul Plotnick Stamford On Wed, Jun 15, 2022 at 7:03 PM Michael Pohlod via CTBirds < ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > On our potted parsley and dill plants, we have discovered what appear to > be > black swallowtail caterpillars. We are okay with them munching the plants, > but what > can we do to protect the caterpillars from birds? We have a house wren pair > actively feeding their young about 50 feet away. So far they have not > discovered > the caterpillars, but if we found them, the birds will also. > > Any suggestions? > > Mike and Sue Pohlod > Bristol CT > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ >

I'd recommend bringing them in, in a butterfly enclosure. > On 06/15/2022 7:02 PM Michael Pohlod via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > > On our potted parsley and dill plants, we have discovered what appear to be > black swallowtail caterpillars. We are okay with them munching the plants, but what > can we do to protect the caterpillars from birds? We have a house wren pair > actively feeding their young about 50 feet away. So far they have not discovered > the caterpillars, but if we found them, the birds will also. > > Any suggestions? > > Mike and Sue Pohlod > Bristol CT > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

I always disagree with others on the idea of bringing in caterpillars.  I am not going to say there is zero predation, however, these animals have co-existed with birds for millennia and while it may be discouraging to find one of your caterpillars in a catbird's mouth, most birds do not find black swallowtail caterpillars all that palatable.  The younger, smaller caterpillars resemble bird droppings and are not eaten.  As they get older and bigger, they have a bad taste much like monarchs do.  They also have these two interesting colorful prongs that come out of the back end resembling a snake's tongue.  Do a few of these caterpillars get eaten?  Yes, they do.  However, enough of them survive to perpetuate the species.  A lot can go wrong when you remove them from the garden and bring them into the house.  Leave them alone. As a follow up, people often bring in the chrysalids when they find them in late summer/early fall.  These pupae will hatch into adult butterflies in the spring.  If you want to put them on an unheated porch that is one thing.  Bringing them into the house will cause them to hatch much earlier than they should.  If they come out in February or March, there is nothing for them to eat and they starve.   Also, if you bring them in, do not keep them in a jar or small container as when they hatch, they will beat their wings against the sides and damage them so they cannot be released. Jay Kaplan, DirectorRoaring Brook Nature CenterCanton, CT -----Original Message----- From: SARAH FAULKNER via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> To: Michael Pohlod <habaneros123@comcast.net>; Michael Pohlod via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Wed, Jun 15, 2022 7:43 pm Subject: [CT Birds] Re: Black Swallowtail caterpillars vs. birds I'd recommend bringing them in, in a butterfly enclosure.  > On 06/15/2022 7:02 PM Michael Pohlod via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > >  > On our potted parsley and dill plants, we have discovered what appear to be > black swallowtail caterpillars. We are okay with them munching the plants, but what > can we do to protect the caterpillars from birds? We have a house wren pair > actively feeding their young about 50 feet away. So far they have not discovered > the caterpillars, but if we found them,  the birds will also. > > Any suggestions? > > Mike and Sue Pohlod > Bristol CT > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/