From Parsley Worm Caterpillar to Butterfly

On the morning of June 25, I found some parsley worms on my parsley plants which had gone to seed. I got the idea to put them into a large jar (under the dome) so that I could watch them change into black swallowtail butterflies. In a couple of days, three of the caterpillars had transformed into the chrysalis stage. I had hooked up a small security camera to my computer in in oder to take some time lapse movies of the parsley worms eating and moving around. Next, I got the idea to attempt to capture one of the caterpillars changing into a chrysalis, so I set everything up on my computer (shown on the video) and after several hours of video I was able to capture the change, which is amazing. I waited for several days and on the morning of July 3, I discovered two black swallowtail butterflies in the jar, and then went outside and released them. I have been videoing for two days now, trying to capture the emergence of one of the butterflies from the chrysalis, but so far nothing has happened. If I am successful, I will share that video.

[@Wingloader]

Nice job. You sound like a very kind person. The world needs more of you.

[@nodlon20]

You can tell by his voice he's a nice man. I wish we all could go to his farm and hang out with him! I would love just sitting on a porch and talking to him. Bet he has a lot of stories he could tell us!

[@PatriciaLiebAuthor]

This is so awesome. This morning I found these worms eating my parsley and came to the computer is see what to do about them and this what I found. So happy to see this video.. I'm going outside now to collect a few of the worms to put in a gold fish jar to watch my own butterflies come to life........

[@justcath1]

I am so glad I watched this video. Thanks so much! Earlier today I found 8 of these caterpillars on my parsley plant and immediately freaked out. I thought they were something unwanted. I snapped off all the stems they were on and - thank God - didn't have the heart to squish them. I'm going to put them in some shelter and feed them all the parsley they want!!!! Thnaks, again for posting this. Cath in Ottawa, Ontario. Canada

[@clevedude]

I have a lot of parsley from seeds I scattered in my little garden bed last fall. There isn't much else in the garden, some onion tops re-sprouting, but there are a lot of caterpillars on the parsley plants. I will just let them eat parsley, get fat, and turn into beautiful black swallowtail butterflies.

[@carolynshorey8684]

clevedude s

[@MrScaryPasta]

clevedude I am raising many species of Green Caterpillars. I am so excited.

[@manishakanwer3944]

9o7 the

[@kayporr7139]

Thank you so much for sharing you wonderful video. I just found about 12 of these on my parsley and will share this "experiment" with my grand kids

[@DaveDude]

Having 2 kids maturing is a rewarding thing

[@AveryAMO]

This is my first year trying out a herb garden. We just discovered a parsley worm in our parsley a few days ago and now he’s made a chrysalis. Can’t wait to see him transform. You did a fantastic job on your video. Very neat watching the changes your little guys went through. Thank you for sharing!

[@amandacales2918]

I found this video after finding these little guys on my parsley plant. Now it is there parsley plant. Thank you for sharing the video.

[@nodlon20]

Thank you so much for sharing this, I bought a parsley plant to do the exact same thing I left it in the pot outside and sure enough I got caterpillars on it!! First time in my life I've seen this and I'm 64 years old!! I counted how many were on there and I left the potted parsley plant outside. Next day, there were less of the tiny ones and a bigger one was missing. Aha!! Birds must have gotten them. So I brought the whole plant inside and put it on a sunny shelf in my kitchen window and boom, MORE caterpillars showed up. The eggs are either so tiny I can't see them or maybe they're under the leaves? or in the soil of the pot? Anyway I've got a LOT of them on that plant now, one is getting ready to go to the chrysalis stage!! and more to follow. So if I don't contain them, will they stay on the plant when they turn into a butterfly or start flying around my kitchen?? haha! What should I cover the plant with so they won't fly around in my kitchen? should I make some kind of screen? I've got some plastic screening I guess I could use... if I put a jar over them I'm afraid they'd suffocate. Any suggestions? Thank you so much and God bless you!

[@Nikola95inYT]

Great and informative video. In Siberia we have this butterflies too. A couple of days ago these caterpillars ate my dill. Btw, last year they ate all the carrot. I collected and placed them on other umbellifer plants outside my yard. Butterflies are really beautiful but when they are caterpillars they are very hungry.

[@clevedude]

Thanks for sharing that with me. I didn't realize that people were still looking at the video I made six years ago. I agree that the butterflies are really beautiful. I want to repeat my little experiment, but I have been unsuccessful in growing parsley for the past two years. My brother gave me some seedlings from his garden. So, hopefully, I can grow them large enough to attract the butterflies.

[@emjaynie54]

That was a great little project, thanks for doing that and posting it! I just said to my husband I don't know where all the caterpillars went when they got done with my parsley. Now i'm going to go out there and have a closer look ... they disappeared about 5 days ago, so maybe I'd better be on the lookout for the butterflies within a couple of days.

[@michellepowell8960]

I just put a few of these guys in a jar myself. (I found a bunch on my parsley and rue) I then looked them up on the internet. I hope I can show this process to my 3-year-old. Thank you for making this video. I found it very helpful.

[@JanVinyard]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful video. I have some parsley worms on the parsley plant on my deck today, September 26th. I'm hoping to see them turn into butterflies soon.

[@pewlette]

Thank you for your time lapse photography and your careful editing. That brief metamorphosis is amazing. This morning I noticed all my parsley was nearly gone, and sure enough I have six busy caterpillars at work. I went and bought them more parsley ;-) Tomorrow I'll bring a couple inside as you did.

[@tammyschum3815]

So glad I am not the only one. I bought my 8 pillars fresh dill and parsley after they decimated my plants. 😊

[@LSB16]

Thanks for posting this, it's so interesting! After finding out what was eating our parsley and dill a couple of years ago, I now plant extra for them. I couldn't find any of the crysalises the first year, but last year we were lucky enough to see some butterflies right after they hatched. The crysalises look like dried leaves and I almost knocked them off of the house siding, but fortunately I didn't. Maybe I'll try putting some in a jar this year so we can watch them. I was afraid they wouldn't' survive if I did that!

[@JackieDElia]

Enjoyed watching your video. I found it because I too have these Parsley Worms on my parsley this week.

[@kendonnelly3248]

I raise butterflies too. Made a 6 hr time laps of them eating. Man can they eat. Nice video..

[@PercussusResurgo]

+cleverdude My lucky caterpillar just became a swallowtail. We were inspired by your video and put a few parsley caterpillar in a terrarium. I cocooned and 2 escaped in the house. We found on dead in the sink. We gave up on the other escapee. Today my dog was sniffing at base of kitchen counter and there was a newly emerged swallowtail feeling of little spiders as it was catch in a web which was right beside its cocoon. I figured it would die if we did not help. I poked my figure in and I crawled over. Then I put on a stick and its wings opened a little more. Finally we put it outside back on some parsley plants. Now it us flapping its wings and getting ready to go. Wife wife and kids are jumping around like we just one an Olympic gold medal. The joy of nature, how amazing it is and what we can learn from it. Cleverdude this was all inspired by your video. Thanks Tom Ontario Canada.

[@lyckholm]

Wonderful, thank you gentle Sir for this lovely commentary of another one of Nature's miracles!

[@phammond8155]

Just wonderful. Thank you for sharing. Hope you are still helping the swallowtails.

[@bvmul110]

Very cool to watch. We had one of those caterpillars on our parsley about a week ago. Next time, I hope to do this so that my kids can watch the metamorphosis happen. Thanks for sharing!

[@JohnnyCatFitz]

I just found 2 pillars on my parsley today! I have protection over the plants now and it should be warm throughout the next week. Hoping to see this through like you have!

[@tcaver]

Today I found 3 black with a yellow stripe parsley worms. I want to do this! Love!

[@cynthiaannblaha5127]

I found some on my parsley which they totally decimated. I also have some dill and put it in a container for them...they absolutely love it. So I got a large jar just like the one you have and filled it will dill. I am hoping it won’t be too many days before,the for,their chrysalis. Thank you for posting!

[@tatumsfarm]

Thank you for doing this. I looked up these worms when I found them on my dill, and pulled up your video. If you had not posted this, I wouldn't have known to do this too. I caught one forming a chrysalis in real time! What an amazing thing to watch!

[@tatumsfarm]

Here's the link. The odds are surely too great that I also catch them emerge, right? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIS2Y4WkhJiDotU

[@bluestembooks]

Thank you so much for making, & sharing this wonderful video!

[@debrawills6782]

Kind, kind man :) Thank you, that was beautiful to see

[@nodlon20]

I agree, love his kind voice! I wish I could meet him!

[@dixieleigh1819]

After finding caterpillars on my parsley plant, I looked up "parsley plant caterpillars" & found this delightful video. Thanks so much for sharing it!

[@PercussusResurgo]

That was truly wonderful. We just found two caterpillars on our parsley. I have lots of parsley so I am going to let them eat and poop until they are ready to change and fly way. Your video production was fun and educational. I would have thought it was PBS, until you said 'shit'. That had me laughing so hard and the beautiful butterfly did not seem to mind. Thanks again from Ontario Canada.

[@PercussusResurgo]

+Kayla Depina we put in small terrarium. A couple escaped and crawled into sink. Oops! The other is in its cocoon stage now. We have it on breakfast counter so whole family get to see its progress every day. The funny thing was it went a little manic, moving really fast, faster than you would imagine a caterpillar could go. Next day it went into its prone position on a stick and 48 hrs later it was a full cocoon. That must have been 10 days ago. We await the final result. Regards from Ontario Canada.

[@lostintexas100]

You sir made a great video. Your kind voice was so easy to listen to, so calm. I have raised the Black Swallowtail last year. It is so awesome but not as awesome as hearing you when the changes happen. Great work on the photography as well. Just an overall great video. Thank you so much for sharing !

[@elektricat]

I SO enjoyed your video. you have inspired me to leave my parsley caterpillars alone from now on. I'll grow some extra and share with them!! Super great video!!

[@kgibson349]

thanks for sharing, I found 5 on my parsley this morning, I had no idea what kind of caterpillars they were.

[@aricpelt]

My son has caught about 6 of these that were feeding on my carrots. This morning he awoke to find two of them in their cocoon stage. He (as did I) really enjoyed this! He is anxiously awaiting to arrival of his butterflies! Again, thank you and excellent video!

[@lorinorton3971]

Thank you! I have several in my garden and wondered what kind of butterfly was going to "bloom" !

[@Dee_M_See]

You are a sweet man! So nice to know there are wonderful people like you who truly appreciate the splendor and miracle of nature. Kudos for taking great care of the caterpillars so they could become the gorgeous butterflies they are. Amazing!! Hope to experience that one day in person. Thanks so much for sharing. ☺☺

[@ryanthetenrec8244]

Great work. They're also known as black swallowtail

[@NippleSauce]

Yep. Parsley attracts two types of Swallowtails: black and anise. It's actually quite funny how the black swallowtail caterpillars are a bit more colorful, and yet their end stage butterfly form is mostly black (with a touch of yellow). The anise swallowtail caterpillars, however, are mostly black. But, their end stage butterfly form is mostly yellow in color with a touch of black. I can't wait for the worms on my parsley to go through metamorphosis in the coming weeks.

[@carlabuff5542]

Thank you so much. I am going to capture mine in the morning and take them to the summer campers. Hopefully in two week the campers will be able to see the swallow tails.

[@planetlizz]

spectacular.. especially their chrysalis on time lapse. would have loved to see them break out too. next time record that too ok?? :) your voice & speech patterns are truly calming & reassuring .. very much like Morgan Freeman... both of you incite warmth & happiness. thank so much for sharing your project. and omg how striking those black butterflies are! nvr seen anything like them here in so cal. ♡ we hardly have any monarchs left. our city has constructed large greenhouses and is doing a wonderful job of breeding them with the help of milk thistle and volunteers ♡

[@nodlon20]

Wouldn't you love just to sit and talk with him? I sure would! :)

[@smitmick]

We just found 4 of them on our balcony in Tokyo eating our parsley. We will keep watching them as they turn into butterflies. Thank you for the video!

[@gmacen2010]

Thank you sooo much for not only doing this but for sharing. I had a 2ft x 2ft parsley plant outside covered with those caterpillars. I left it alone and so glad I did. I must have 100 caterpillars on the parsley. It will be amazing to see them turn into caterpillars. I'm glad I didn't spray them with insecticide thanks to you. I googled the subject and your beautiful mind introduced me to this subject. Thank you geri

[@jreneemagrum2614]

I never knew the wonderful benefit I was going to have when I planted parsley this year. Now that I've seen your video, I am excited to watch the 8 caterpillars on my parsley become butterflys.

[@kristaj428]

I loved how you talked to the last one

[@evilcuteness8194]

gonna have to grow some parsley. This was awesome, thanks for posting!

[@reineyh]

Good job. Enjoyed that. We have them on our parsley too.

[@tcaver]

This is beautiful seeing the change!

[@susansname]

Thank you for this! I’m inspired to rescue the 3 parsley caterpillars I found today from the lizards and wasps that find them tasty. 👍 It’s mid-October in Atlanta, so I hope they’ll have time to grow up and fly before we have a frost.

[@lemonbee9751]

Thanks so much for sharing this video! It was amazing to see the cycle of life and beauty :)

[@clevedude]

You're welcome!

[@isabel95]

Fascinating and enjoyable! Thanks for doing this.

[@dianaspendlove1885]

Wow! That's amazing!

[@karenleuenberger7365]

Thanks for posting this! My daughter found one of these and now we know what it will become!

[@stephenrbh]

This is a great video!!

[@greener-garden-tips]

I absolutely love your video!! I just got 2 on my parsley! Can't wait

[@AhJodie]

This is a lovely video, thank you for sharing!!!

[@khg624]

Wonderful video! Thank you!

[@ChickenHues]

Great video! I just caught some caterpillars yesterday to try this with the kids at a daycare! I hope it works!

[@denisescalzo421]

That's awesome. Thanks for sharing

[@jamiebrookes2224]

THANK YOU, God. And God bless you, Mr. Martel. :)

[@CoachGayle]

i am now declaring my half eaten parsley plant a butterfly refuge!

[@BirdyOfficial]

Very satisfying video when you see a caterpillar converts to a beautiful butterfly.

[@teressaedwards6825]

Wonderful video! I never cease to be amazed at the miracle of God's creation. Thank you for sharing it!

[@misimcfarland5212]

The second one to come out wasn't quite finished pumping out his wings. That's why it acted as it did and landed as it did. They need to be kind of upside down at an angle to pump out their wings. The wings are all crumpled up when they first emerge. He was about done. Yes, it was a male. I think the first one was a female but couldn't see well enough to be sure. Black Swallowtails can also be found on carrot tops, queen ann's lace, dill and several herbs. If you want to learn more, there is a fantastic group full of friendly people on Facebook. The group is called Simply Swallowtails.

[@surfraptor]

Magical!

[@mariealphonso648]

Marco van Berge

[@elissapitts2404]

I'm so glad I didn't smash that worm on my parsley plant! I guess he/she morphed into a butterfly because it's gone😄 Loved your video!!!

[@francescap9281]

People please do your research! You are not doing butterflies any favor by raising them under inappropriate conditions. They need to hang upside down upon emerging from the chrysalis to pump fluid into their wings and let them dry off and strengthen. One butterfly is struggling to climb up but cannot do so on the walls of a glass jar. The same (?) butterfly is then being forced to fly away. It knows when it is ready better than you do!

[@user-bu1od9rv5u]

Beautiful

[@Sarahjane_c]

Ur voice is very calming

[@garymaness9408]

Great Vid and Explanation. Thanks !

[@kathleen1029]

thank you so much . Really enjoyed your video.

[@sharonmassetti2685]

Love this video.

[@clevedude]

Thank you Mary!

[@franfarrell7691]

very cool. thanks

[@cathyplantlover2862]

Awesome video!

[@joannmaddalena1084]

What happened to the other two? By the way,Worm castings (poop) is great fertilizer. Sometimes the wings must dry completely before they are able to dry, best not to rush them.

[@IamHodan]

Thank you for sharing :)

[@jiabychang2389]

Hi, Paul. It’s my first time to raise swallowtail. I accidentally saved three caterpillars in my backyard and kept them for two weeks. I’m kinda anxious as I don’t know how old they are. I used to feed them the dill and parsley I grew. However, the food was run out as they are bigger and bigger, and I bought parsley from supermarket. However, they started to poop a lot and shrink. It’s already two days. I didn’t see they started to pupate. They just curled on the bottom. Are they dying? I’m so worrying.

[@clevedude]

Thank you!

[@soibhanmerry3465]

that is amazing u know a lot

[@LumpyBumpyAcidFish]

how do you know when they are gonna turn

[@Richcreeper-ek3xv]

In my country parsley worms have fur and I kept them in a box filled with leaves and right now they’re sleeping

[@Coolalabright]

I love it

[@jenevebassue8538]

So cute

[@Bigred443]

Sweet video

[@iwanttoviewthisnow]

This is awesome. I grow Italian parsly and killed the caterpillars last year, because they all ate my plants leaves leaving only the stem. I didn't think they'd become a beautiful butterfly, but this year I called to my husband and he moved the caterpillars. Do these only eat parsley? I saw a few butterflies going crazy on my parsly plants and when I saw this video, I watched to see if these butterflies were the same, and they are.

[@celtic15c]

WHOA!!!! BRAVO!!!!

[@marilynangello8527]

Thanks for sharing. God's mystery

[@clevedude]

I am glad that I was able to do so. Thank you.

[@BV132]

You're an awesome person thanks for sharing ❤

[@almendratlilkouatl]

so how many days since you took the leaf stone away?

[@Nadison18]

Bro pooed his own skin

[@carolejackson8357]

Great video! I used to pull them off the plant n put them on another plant. Then the owner of a butterfly farm told me they have a limited diet. Thus they die if pulled off the parsley. He also told me that if I bring them inside, they have the best probability of surviving if they are in a net rather than a jar. They must have air circulating in order for them 2 avoid getting fungus. They usually emerge as a butterfly at the crack of dawn. Then it takes about an hour for their wings to dry before they can fly. I found your video when I was trying to find something about the crystal is moving. I have one now that bent itself kind of like doing abdominal crunches. it did a crunch then relaxed back into the standard position. and your video it never moved that way. So I'm still curious. Thanks for the great video.

[@ingefallang6762]

Did yours emerge, yet? Mine did two days ago! So exciting! The chrysalis can move a little, btw.

[@carolejackson8357]

@@ingefallang6762 I had several. They got moved around so I'm not sure which one did the move described above. All but one flew away. Yes very awesome. I got to release them outside.

[@ingefallang6762]

@@carolejackson8357 I found another Black Swallowtail caterpillar a few days ago and today it started becoming (making?) a chrysalis. Fingers crossed it emerges soon and doesn't wait untill next spring!

[@ingefallang6762]

@@carolejackson8357 Also, in case anyone is interested, both of mine ate primarily hemlock! Evidently, it isn't poisonous for them.

[@kindoey-elevator]

Caterpie Evolved into Metapod -many miniutes Later- Huh Metapod is evolving... Metapod evolved into ButterFree

[@padme2552]

they're called parsley worms?

[@janogytiburcio6908]

How much days did it take ?

[@NanaJ0yce]

Your video was so helpful. I found a caterpillar on my parsley last week. I put him in a jar with parsley and brought him to the local Science Center to show the preschoolers. This morning I found that it formed its chrysalis. Tomorrow I will show it to the kids again. I can't wait to see the butterfly appear! How long was it about a week in the chrysalis?

[@clevedude]

I think it was about a week or maybe a little longer, somewhere in that time frame. It's like a miracle to see that happen. Actually it is a miracle, the miracle of life. I am happy that you are sharing this with little kids who are open to miracles since they are recent miracles themselves yet untouched by the cynicism of the world. To see a caterpillar change into a butterfly is a wonderful lesson in life. I'm glad I was able to share this with you.

[@beverlyking3557]

I found these on my carrot leaves. I believe they are swallowtail butterflies.

[@clevedude]

The caterpillars do turn into swallowtail butterflies.

[@MaryAnnSweetAngel]

i found 2 Common Mormon caterpillars on my curry leaf plant and my dad was going to kill them but i saved them and now theyre munching away in a jar, i brought them more curry leaves from the store because my plant was very tiny.

[@rodrionnaprier2820]

this is wat I am doun now I got 4 caterpillars in put it in a jar in put a stick in there wit leavesin flowers I will see the change

[@saiha008]

wow

[@georgiagardengirlshomestea1560]

Why do their wings look different between the two? I have 20 that I'm going to do.Just found them on my tomatoes

[@UpRoaryus]

one is male and one female - they have different markings, but I forget which is which.

[@Kuwi-enjoyer]

I have painted lady caterpillars 9 in chrysalises ill change the caterpillars to a butterfly when they are butterflies

[@NurMaiMai]

My bro just came and give me a I don't know what it called well Iwill just say a thing before turn into butterflies ☺️🤣 and I found this video 😅 I will try thanks