We Got 'Cats

I went out beside the house to tend to some very neglected plants this morning, and when I got to the big wooden container that holds my italian parsley, I found these critters munching as fast as they could go up the two remaining green stalks.

I emailed a picture of them to my kid (the garden guru) and she says they are Black Swallowtail caterpillars. She actually plants things to attract these guys. Check out her blog Green Space for more details.

This afternoon I went back out to check on the 'cats, and one had disappeared. There were no green leaves left on any of the stalks. So I got some store-bought italian parsley out of the refrigerator and put several stalks in the pot. I then moved the three remaining 'cats onto the new food. Two of them immediately played 'possum and refused to move. The other one walked across the top of the new greenery and headed up one of the old stalks.

After a little time, I got to thinking (always dangerous) that the store-bought parsley may have insecticide on it. But then I figured that the 'cats were going to starve without the new food, so it was worth the risk.

Check in tomorrow for updates.