A few weeks ago, while searching for milkweed to feed my monarch caterpillars, I accidentally found these beautiful cats and brought them inside.

I found them to be much more efficient eaters than the monarchs...they eat much less and therefore poop much less, and the Queen Anne's lace that they devour is super-easy to find.

Instead of hanging in a "J" formation before creating their chrysalis, the swallowtail caterpillars squeeze up into a comma shape....

...before making their chrysalis.

It takes a few days longer than the monarchs for the magical transformation to happen inside....

...but it's worth the wait!

This pretty girl (you can tell it's a female by the size of the blue and cream-colored spots) is now flying free around the cabin, and I've gained some new butterfly knowledge.  God's creation never grows old or ceases to amaze.

Lovely black swallowtail.