As you are harvesting or planning to remove your dill and parsley plants, check them for Black Swallowtail butterflies!
A gardener brought some dill cuttings home to keep in water for fresh use. After a few days, I noticed a tiny black form on a leaf. Initially, the caterpillars are tiny, appear black with a thin white waistband. This little guy is steadily maturing and will soon be returned to the WCG to pupate. Black Swallowtails, with their black dots, resemble Monarch caterpillars, which are striped.
You may also see tiny white Monarch butterfly eggs and caterpillars on milkweed and on tomato cages, as they get ready to pupate.
The dill, arugula and cilantro flowers are attracting our spring Ladybug larvae, which resemble tiny alligators. They’re hunting for aphids and other tiny destructive bugs. Be sure to protect these garden protectors and pollinators. Remove them into your bed before discarding the plant. You might also leave some of these flowering plants for the bees and butterflies until the zinnias begin to flower.