The Giants Are Growing

The Giant Swallowtail is a swallowtail butterfly common in various parts of North America and marginally into South America. In the United States and Canada it is mainly found in the south and east. Wikipedia

 

 This is one of my giants that crysalized over the winter from last summer, I released him early spring when it started to warm up this year.  They can grow to as big as your hand if given lots of fresh food to munch on for as long as possible, the bigger the caterpillar the bigger the butterfly.

Last I blogged about the giant eggs that hatched.  Here they are about a week older and I still have four growing strong.  One is larger than the others because its easier for him to eat the leaves.  I usually cut baby citrus leaves for the tiniest ones but I'm having difficulty finding new growth on my local citrus.  They will eat Rue as well, so I do buy that at the nursery if it is organically grown.  Tough lesson; Never give caterpillars just any herbs.  If they are not organic you may kill them from pesticides that are on the herbs or fed to the herbs while rooting.  Its lots of love rearing these babies and anytime there is a death its sad.

This is the big boy, and he is as cute as a piece of bird poop.  When they start to get bigger I will be able to get great little pics of there cute faces.  They get fat and really sausage like as they grow, super cute and super soft velvety touch.