Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Kill Swallowtail Caterpillars
How to Kill Swallowtail Caterpillars. Butterflies are not usually considered pests, but certain species of swallowtails are an exception. The black swallowtail lays eggs on carrots, parsley and dill. The bright green, yellow and black caterpillars feed on the plants. Orangedog caterpillars are the larva of the giant swallowtail and feed on citrus...
Butterflies are not usually considered pests, but certain species of swallowtails are an exception. The black swallowtail lays eggs on carrots, parsley and dill. The bright green, yellow and black caterpillars feed on the plants. Orangedog caterpillars are the larva of the giant swallowtail and feed on citrus plants. They resemble bird droppings, and can defoliate small trees and potted plants. They seldom cause enough damage to harm adult trees. Swallowtail caterpillars can extrude a gland that resembles a snake's tongue called an osmeterium. It emits a foul-smelling secretion that repels some predators.
Pick off any caterpillars you can see. Swallowtail caterpillars are large, so you can easily spot them on smaller plants.
Apply a commercial spray or dust that contains the bacteria bacillus thuringiensis. It is fatal to caterpillars but harmless to other animals.
Apply a chemical control agent, such as SEVIN. Be sure to read package instructions because some chemical controls can cause increases the populations of other pests.
Tips & Warnings
If you want to enjoy the beautiful adult swallowtail butterflies, you can transfer the caterpillars to a designated host plant instead of killing them.
