Black Swallowtail Caterpillars

A few weeks ago I found caterpillars on my parsley plant. They were easily identifiable as black swallowtail caterpillars so I decided to sacrifice the plant to have the caterpillars as photography subjects and increase the next generation of black swallowtails. There were four caterpillars and they ate about half the rather large plant before they made their chrysalises. They will probably overwinter in that form since the temperatures are definitely cool at night already and there is not enough time for the cycle to get from butterfly to egg to chrysalis again before it is too cold. 

The caterpillars eat rapidly…then go into a food coma…shed their skin. They have stubby feet that grip the stems of the parsley but can lift themselves off the stem too. They sometimes sprout yellow orange horns if they are threatened but not while they are in a food coma. Enjoy the caterpillar slide show below.

Preserving Herbs

August is the time to start preserving the bounty of the herb garden. I have basil, parsley, mint and stevia this year.

I prefer drying rather than freezing because it is ‘greener’ (uses less energy). Here’s the basic process (shown with basil but will work with most other herbs as well):

Gather herbs. I use kitchen scissors and the basket I use over the sink to rinse them so they are immediately ready for the next step. I leave a few plants to continue to use fresh and may harvest again for drying if enough grows back before the frost comes.

Rinse the herbs. You don’t want bugs, spider webs or insect eggs along with your herbs.

Chop them up. If you want small pieces, use a food processor. This time, I plan to use the herb in stir fry and soups so cutting with scissors was good enough.

Place in a breathable bag and hang where the herb can dry thoroughly. I chose to use a washable veggie bag this time. The drying can take several days or longer depending on the humidity in the air. Shake the bag or otherwise move the herb around in the bag to make sure it is drying evenly.

When thoroughly dry, place in an airtight container….and enjoy your herbs in the months to come.

Parsley in the Kitchen Window

I bought a small pot of Italian parsley at the grocery store this week. This gives me greenery to enjoy now and then put in a large pot on the deck to enjoy all summer. The small shelf above my sink is the perfect place for it - there is great afternoon sun and I’ll notice when it needs to be watered. The store had similar pots of basil and cilantro. I have some basil seeds and decided to plant them (another small project for today). The cilantro plants looked too fragile; maybe I’ll get one some other week.

I’ve enjoyed Italian parsley previously. The plant tends to be hardy (as long as it gets enough water) and rapidly replenishes the amount I cut. I like it in salads, sprinkled on top of soups/stir fries, or in a veggie smoothie. The leaves are even large enough to use on a sandwich!