The polydamas swallowtail caterpillars are on the move again. The birthwort, its host plant, is almost gone, as the influx of caterpillars took to eating it almost to nothing.
When they are finished they start inching around the garden, causing you to look down to make sure you’re not stepping on them, instead of up.
Some have gone into the butterfly house, while others have started the chrysalis process on our house with creating its silk girdle.
The polydamas, “gold rim” swallowtail butterflies have had a phenomenal year in the butterfly garden so far this year.
There were a few days I didn’t have an opportunity to walk through the garden and by the third day, wow. My birthwort plant is crawling with a couple dozen polydamas caterpillars feasting away on its host plant.
It’s fun to watch these guys grow. When they are smaller they stay together in a pack, but eventually spread out as they get bigger.
I love watching the polydamas swallowtail caterpillars. The stages they go through and the size they become is fascinating. There are probably two dozen caterpillars on the birthwort eating.
The caterpillars grow up to 2.1″ in length.
The polydamas swallowtail has been a regular visitor these past few weeks. They are swift flyers, making them hard to capture in photographs while flying. Well, today, out of 143 photographs, I was able to pick out quite a few that made me smile.
The polydamas, also known as the gold rim swallowtail, tailless swallowtail and scientific name Battus polydamas lucayus, lays its eggs on the Dutchman pipe. This is the only swallowtail that lacks the tails at the base of the secondary wings, according to the University of Florida.
This species can be found throughout peninsular Florida, as well as in the Florida Keys. There are some that wander as far north as Missouri and Kentucky.
The polydamas lays yellow to orange eggs in clusters of 10 to 14, which can typically be spotted on newly developed stems, or growing tips, of the Dutchman pipe. The butterfly tends to lay its eggs on the Dutchman pipe that are in sunny areas, although the caterpillars have a higher survival rate in the shade.
The polydamas swallowtail in the photographs below is laying eggs on one of the two birthwort plants in the garden. Right now this plant is thick with lots of growth, while my three Dutchman pipe are needing time to grow back from the last set of caterpillars.
My garden has become my favorite place to be again with all of the work that has been done and still underway.
With the lack of rain, and the extreme dry conditions, I have taken to watering the garden almost nightly as I replanted a good amount of plants. The great part is all the repoted/moved plants are thriving.
While watering I spotted a few chunky pokydamas swallowtail caterpillars either resting, or munching away. They are definitely getting closer to the final instar where they will stop eating and make their chrysalis.
I always heard the saying, “plant them and they will come.” Gardening, well butterfly gardening, is truly rewarding and thrilling, as you can invite all kinds of species into your garden and watch their lifecycle unfold before your eyes.
