They are Beautiful but Pesky!

Swallowtail Butterflies invaded one Farmer’s fennel crop over the weekend.  She hand picked eight of their cocoons off the leaves …put them in a jar and gave them to a youngster who wanted to raised butterflies at his house!  A nice way to get rid of these critters!  They love fennel and ate her leaves… nothing but the  stems were left… they’ll do the same thing to parsley! Plant extra crops as “sacrificial” plants ‘cuz you are going to lose a few to these critters.  So be on the lookout for their lime green, black and cream-colored larvae. Make sure you hand pick these and get rid of them!  (5/17/2011)