I have planted a butterfly garden but the butterflies haven't been too impressed. But today, while I was walking around the yard, I spotted a caterpillar on the nonnative, self seeded, fennel. At least that's what I think the plant is. It showed up last year and I left it in 'cause my butterfly pamphlet said it was a larval food. We've had lots of swallowtails around this year but none have stopped long enough for me to positively identify them as Anise Swallowtails. Though I had one stay on the lilac long enough to identify the blue markings a few years ago. And it was definitely an Anise. But now I've got pictures of these caterpillars and want opinions. They're sitting at http://members.shaw.ca/cfryer The first one is the best shot we got. The second photo is the first caterpillar I found. I was wondering if it was getting ready to form a chrysalis. There are 3 caterpillars that I could find on the plant. I was pretty excited. The fennel is not in the butterfly garden. Catherine
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