All the Dirt on Gardening

These little Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillars are only able to eat and live on Spicebush shrubs so when Marilyn Stewart told us about them we bought a couple of the shrubs. During the drought years, most butterflies went past our region of the country, heading for more hospitable places. But this year we are having a baby boom all over our little piece of earth.  When looking for the first little caterpillars you'll see leaves chewed and folded over like the one on the left. When the egg first hatches the caterpillar (larva) eats the contents of the egg for nutrients, then begins to chew the leaves. Their bodies emit a sticky substance that helps them in their work.  So here's a tiny caterpillar on the right with my soiled garden hand for size comparison. The leaf was folded over and I opened it so you could see the little guy inside.  Butterfly poo is called frass. I suppose just to avoid calling it poo. Notice the size of the butterfly caterpillar a...

Spicebush swallowtail butterfly caterpillar/chrysalis Lindera Benzoin, Spicebush, has many uses in the garden, not the least of which is providing a place for spicebush swallowtail butterflies to raise babies.   The shrubs in our garden are about 10 feet tall and wide. They are native laurels that spread by roots to make colonies. The spicebush name comes from the spicy fragrance of the twigs when crushed. The leaves are bright green as you can see. The early spring flowers are tiny and the red winter berries persist throughout most of the winter after the leaves fall. The berries are also spicy flavored and are used in cooking ( http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Spicebush.html ) Swallowtail caterpillar eating leaves Pioneers and Native Americans used parts the plant for a variety of ailments. From PA State "Human use of spicebush includes the brewing of teas from the crushed, dried leaves and the grinding of the dried berries into a meat seasonin...