The Flutter-byes

One morning I walked out into my herb garden and found this:

Like any good gardener, I took a picture and posted the critters to Facebook to see if anyone knew what they were.  They turned out to be a black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars 

(thanks Dawn and Amanda!).

 And after some serious pupating in a jar, they turned into this:

His friends busted out of their cocoons the same day, 

but we still have one more to "birth".

So I thought the caterpillar drama (and mess!) was over, and I pat myself on the back for a wonderful home school science lesson for the boys.

  

Until I went out to my herb garden again this morning 

to find more of these guys:

Thank goodness I planted enough dill and Italian parsley

 to keep them AND us happy!  

I'm hoping to see lots of black swallowtail butterflies 

(or flutter-byes) in the garden this summer.  

They are gorgeous!