We had a warm Sunday. By midafternoon the temperature had reached 72F. For an early spring day it was balmy and wonderful. When my daughter stepped into the garage she noticed a newly emerged swallowtail. I had brought five chrysalises into the garage last fall and expected them to winter over. And they did. Three hatched from Sunday to Tuesday. The other two have not yet emerged. It’s a bit early and unlikely they will find mates or food sources. They may find nectar this early but food sources for caterpillars are scarce. It’s too early for fennel, parsely or dill, so they may the harbingers of spring but not the progenitors.
Posted on March 24th, 2009 by larryhol
Filed under: Butterflies
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