black swallowtail caterpillars?

[sdheli420]

i found these on my parsley out side...i know they have a defense of two prongs comming out and making a lil bit of a stink..can they be fed off??

 

[carol5208]

I have read the swallowtail butterflies are poisonous so I would be leary on feeding the caterpillars. Maybe someone else has fed them and can tell you from experience.

 

[sdheli420]

I have read the swallowtail butterflies are poisonous so I would be leary on feeding the caterpillars. Maybe someone else has fed them and can tell you from experience.

thats what i was thinking..from what i know pretty much all butterflies are bad, but moths are good..only reason i posted and have them in a cup with a lid..and i dont want them in my garden soo...

 

[carol5208]

thats what i was thinking..from what i know pretty much all butterflies are bad, but moths are good..only reason i posted and have them in a cup with a lid..and i dont want them in my garden soo...

i know what you are saying! I am always wanting to change up my feeders too with some wild caught stuff but am afraid to feed things incase they are bad for our chameleons. I am assuming they eat butterflies in the rain forest though.....

 

[sdheli420]

i know what you are saying! I am always wanting to change up my feeders too with some wild caught stuff but am afraid to feed things incase they are bad for our chameleons. I am assuming they eat butterflies in the rain forest though.....

they also eat bees, and that scares the crap outta me..lol..if i hear someone say ohh yeah i feed them all the time, i will feel better..i mean hell, even hornworms are bad if they where eating tomato plants..(witch sucks because i find them constantly on mine, and still order the damned things online that feed only on mullberry mix..makes me just want to breed them even more..only issue is the things need a cham cage! lol)

 

[pssh]

Many butterflies are perfectly fine to feed. Some moths are not okay to feed. You just have to research a little. Cabbage whites, painted ladies, buckeyes, red admirals, west coast ladies, and american ladies (butterflies) are all safe to feed and very common. Some giant american silkmoths are not okay to feed and some of the caterpillars sting you!

I'll take your hornworms from your tomatoes and send you eggs!

 

[sdheli420]

Many butterflies are perfectly fine to feed. Some moths are not okay to feed. You just have to research a little. Cabbage whites, painted ladies, buckeyes, red admirals, west coast ladies, and american ladies (butterflies) are all safe to feed and very common. Some giant american silkmoths are not okay to feed and some of the caterpillars sting you!

I'll take your hornworms from your tomatoes and send you eggs!

ive seen some of the stinging kind..they suck!! lol

so are these things safe to feed off..my chams, leopard gecko and mantis are all eyeing them down!!

as for the hornies, im trying to breed them now..i have five pupating in some moist play sand, have mullberry mix, and some hummingbird feeders ready (and a big old cham cage for them) well see how it goes..if i suck i will send them all out to you next big batch of them i find..

 

[Lizardlover]

Stay away from those. The bright colors warn that they are not to be eaten.

 

[pssh]

Good luck on your project! If you have an extra bathroom, you can let the moths fly around in there so they are more willing to breed and lay immediately (and lay more eggs.)

 

[sdheli420]

Stay away from those. The bright colors warn that they are not to be eaten.

red and yellow kill a fellow, red on black it'll just bite back...

the only reason i posted as chameleons have bright colors, but you could technically eat them, lol

as for the hornies..no spare bathroom..wish i had one..i think i have a big enough screen cage for them..its my old 6 foot tall x 3 1\2 foot wide x 3 foot deep..i think it'll doo ..

p.s. i let my mantis look at them..he knew not to strike at them..coloration plays a huge key in the wild of what is prey and what is not..things that kammerflage and blend in are prey..normally, and stuff thats all loud and brightly colored is usually only that brave for a reason..

p.ps they where munching on my parsley..and come to think about it, im pretty sure its not really good stuff anyway..i think it binds calcium...