Grow carrots for the black dovetail butterfly : Black dovetails eat carrots
Black tail butterflies have an interesting relationship with plants of the carrot family, the Apiaceae. This family has many wild plants, but in areas where they are rare, you may find the adult insects and their larvae clinging to your carrot. Do black swallow tails eat carrots? Carrots and black swallowtail caterpillars have an amorphous relationship. Carrots and their cousins are used to place the eggs of the adults and to feed the young larvae. So I guess the butterfly benefits the most, but you attract these charming pollinating insects when you grow carrots.
Swallowtail butterflies and carrots
Carrots are generally undisturbed by surface insects, but in some areas their foliage can be completely decimated by the presence of black dovetail larvae. Adult butterflies prefer nectar from various plants, but love to lay their eggs on members of the carrot family, and the caterpillars feed on their leaves. If you like to attract wildlife, growing carrots for black-tailed butterflies is a sure way to attract them.
The black swallowtail butterfly is found throughout North America. They are pretty black and yellow butterflies with a small amount of blue and red on their hind legs. Their larvae are large caterpillars 2 cm (5 cm) long with voracious appetites. Does the black machaon eat carrots? No, but their young really enjoy the foliage.
Are black tail butterflies beneficial?
The corncrake is not really harmful in adulthood, but it does not directly benefit a garden plant either. Its young are considered pests in large numbers, but the average birth does not kill carrot plants, it only defoliates them. Over time, carrots can grow leaves and resist an attack by larvae.
Carrots and black swallowtail caterpillars may have a conflicting relationship, but the adults simply use the plants as landing areas and egg-laying sites. Carrots and black swallowtail caterpillars are constant companions in late summer until the larvae metamorphose and hibernate.
The larvae are also found in wild plants such as poison hemlock and Queen Anne’s lace. Other plants that attract black machaon are dill, fennel and parsley.
Growing carrots for Swallowtail butterfly
The black swallowtail is known for its beauty, and many butterfly lovers try to attract them to the garden. While providing them with colorful and nectar-rich flowers, it is a way to bring them in and feed them. Joining black swallowtail butterflies and carrots will keep future generations alive.
Swallowtail butterflies appear in spring and lay their eggs on ideal host plants. Their young cause some damage while feeding, but usually not enough to permanently damage the carrot crop. Many of our native butterflies offer a colorful way to decorate the garden, providing visual pleasure with their soft shapes and colorful beauty.
Growing attractive plants as breeding grounds will ensure a continuous supply of these magnificent insects, year after year. As a bonus, you and your family will be able to observe the life cycle of a truly interesting organism.
Control of hyperactive larval populations
In some cases, especially in commercially cultivated areas, large populations of larvae can be a nuisance. In rare cases, it may be necessary to manually collect and destroy large caterpillar infestations or use a product such as Bacillus thuringiensis, a natural bacterium that will kill the larvae.
There are also three types of tachinid flies and several other natural predators, including some birds, that feed on caterpillars. However, the larvae emit an unpleasant taste and odor that repel many potential predators.
If you do not grow organically, you can also use a listed pesticide. Always follow the instructions and wait a month before harvesting treated foods such as carrots.
