Tiger swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, greater frittilary, giant sulphur, black swallowtail, red-spotted purple, and painted lady.

Dressed in a black swallowtail coat and a high starched collar, he was the perfect image of a Victorian conjurer.

But our fennel experience didn't stop with Black Swallowtails.

I discovered it was called a parsley worm, and it was the larva of the beautiful Black Swallowtail butterfly.

The first year that changed as our fennel became the host to two batches of Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) caterpillars also called parsley caterpillars.