Tale of the Swallowtails

The sight of a butterfly drinking nectar from a garden flower can evoke an appreciation of a simple and delicate beauty. However, we rarely stop to think about the less-than-picturesque life the butterfly had prior to that point.

This story recounts how a few garden intruders completed their transformation into butterflies, with a little help from the community.

The Discovery

One hot Saturday, I came across a brightly-colored caterpillar while weeding. Because it wasn’t on a plant, I left it alone, and soon afterward returned indoors to escape the heat.
Meanwhile, this caterpillar carried on… and called his buddies.

When I returned to weed that evening, I noticed something was wrong with the dill plants. ...

(Read the rest of the story here at Your Gardening Friend, a blog that helps "equip beginners with the necessary tools and know-how, the building blocks, to feel confident in starting and maintaining a garden, as well as the more experienced gardener with some gratifying and challenging projects."  I've certainly learned quite a bit from this blog, and I'm sure you will enjoy it too!)