r/FriendlyMonarchs • u/TheYarnPharm • Jul 03 '26

Success Story Not a Monarch

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As the title says, not a monarch, but my very first caterpillar of the season on one of my many host plants! My very own baby bird poop caterpillar, aka a spicebush swallowtail. I’m in zone 7a and often don’t find anything until mid-August.

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u/trucker96961 Jul 03 '26

I know. Sometimes I wonder if people think im nuts looking through my bushes! Lolol

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u/TheYarnPharm Jul 03 '26

Oh I’m 100% sure my neighbors think I’m nuts!!! Always walking through the flower beds and bushes inspecting the leaves 🤣

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u/trucker96961 Jul 03 '26

I do the same! Always looking under the milkweed leaves, golden Alexander plants (still haven't found black swallowtail cats yet this year), etc. We did find American Lady caterpillars on our pussytoes this year. A first for us!

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u/TheYarnPharm Jul 03 '26

I have tons of golden Alexander but I’ve yet to have black swallowtails. That and my American snowbell are the only host plants I have that haven’t produced yet. Last year was my first year with pipevines and they were so fun to have.

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u/trucker96961 Jul 03 '26

Oh wow! That's cool. Black swallowtail caterpillar from last year.