Swallowtail Caterpillars Spotted at Benson Community Garden
Gardener Leslie spotted swallowtail caterpillars munching on parsley at the Benson Community Garden in Omaha. Here is why moments like this matter for pollinator habitats and your community garden.
Sometimes the most meaningful things happening in a garden are the ones easy to walk right past. This week, gardener Leslie had the sharp eyes to stop and look closer, and what she found was worth sharing with everyone.
Two swallowtail caterpillars were spotted happily feeding on parsley right here at the Benson Community Garden in Omaha’s Benson neighborhood. Right now they are small, striped, and easy to miss. But give them a little time and the right conditions, and they will emerge as Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies, one of the most striking and recognizable butterflies in our region.
We are more than happy to share our parsley with them.
Why Host Plants Matter
Most people know that butterflies are important pollinators. Fewer people realize that butterflies cannot become butterflies at all without the right plants to feed on as caterpillars. These plants are called host plants, and they are a critical part of creating a pollinator habitat that actually works.
Parsley, dill, and fennel are among the favorite host plants of the Eastern Black Swallowtail. When gardeners grow these plants and resist the urge to remove every caterpillar they find, they are making a direct contribution to the next generation of pollinators in their community.
It is a simple idea with a real impact. Every leaf we share is an investment in what comes next.
A Certified Pollinator Habitat
The Benson Community Garden is a certified pollinator habitat through both the Nebraska Extension Office and the National Wildlife Federation. That certification is not just a label. It reflects intentional choices we make every season about what we plant, how we manage the garden, and what we are willing to share with the creatures that depend on it.
Moments like the one Leslie spotted this week are exactly why that certification means something to us. It is easy to talk about supporting pollinators. It is something else entirely to watch it happening right between the parsley stems in plot row C on a Tuesday afternoon.
Keep Your Eyes Open
If you are visiting the garden in the coming weeks, keep an eye on the herb garden and any parsley, dill, or fennel growing in individual plots. You may spot these caterpillars going through their stages before they pupate and eventually emerge.
And when you do, please leave them be. They are right where they are supposed to be.
Thank you to Leslie for the sharp eyes and for reminding all of us to slow down and pay attention to what is growing right in front of us. We cannot wait to see these two take flight.
The Benson Community Garden is located at 1302 N 60th Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Learn more at bensongardens.org.
