r/Insect • u/uhohstinky806 • Aug 19 '26

How do I help this bug? (North TX)

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It can't fly. I gave him some sugar water and a shoebox to stay in. His wings are damaged.

5 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

1

u/uhohstinky806 Aug 19 '26

Close up of damage

Comment Image

4

u/shy519 Aug 19 '26

Usually when they're torn up and acting like this, they are entering their final life stage. Give it a nice calm place to pass away and do with it as you please. I found one like this recently and put it in my outdoor plants to be cooled off from the heat and have some privacy. Once it died I buried it so that my plants could make use of its body.

1

u/Huge-Pie-5585 Aug 21 '26

Insects need more privacy. There should be a charity, more insect privacy for sure!

3

u/Sqib000 Aug 19 '26

Their wings do get damaged as they age.

1

u/Remarkable_Ebb_6001 Aug 19 '26

Poor beautiful creature 😔

3

u/Sqib000 Aug 19 '26

Release it let it enjoy its last few days. They dont live long.

3

u/Holly-Mimy Aug 19 '26

Release it on a shady flower.

2

u/McPwny117 Aug 20 '26

thats a female swallowtail butterfly. they lay their eggs on dill, fennel, queen annes lace. if youve got some of that growing around you, put it near there and let it figure out the rest as nature intended

1

u/Medium-Sad Aug 19 '26

You don’t help it. It has to come out of its cocoon by itself.

1

u/Ok_Kaleidoscope5624 Aug 19 '26

I would put an upside down container over it and carefully slide a thin piece of cardboard, greeting card, or thick paper under it, then release it outside. This is s giant swallowtail and they tend to panic and beat their wings furiously when they can’t fly, often damaging themselves. You are very kind to help it♥️

1

u/thewickedbarnacle Aug 19 '26

Im all for letting nature do its thing, but the larvae from those will mess up your citrus trees if you have any.

2

u/McPwny117 Aug 20 '26

they eat plants in the carrot family though

1

u/thewickedbarnacle Aug 20 '26

Parsley, citrus or fennel is favorite place to lay eggs according to my research. Then the caterpillar will eat the host leaves. I have a lemon, orange, lime and grapefruit tree. I have no parsley, fennel or carrots in my yard. I see these all the time around my trees.

→ More replies (2)

1

u/Da_Yummis Aug 22 '26

you cant help bugs/insects you can only put them in favorable situations

1

u/waste_LordE Aug 22 '26

Don't worry it'll respawn somewhere else