The large black swallowtails will not harm the small ones. I had a friend who watched one avoid egging an eggs.

Other host plant alternatives are: fennel, rue, carrots, queens Anne's lace, etc. This is not a complete list. Basically, almost everything in the carrot family.

One of them keeps trying to escape the file cabinet. Does this mean he's tired of eating dill and looking for something else? I read a few different host plants for these guys (black swallowtails) are parsley, dill, fennel and carrot. I can get a parsley plant or something for them but does anyone know any others? I also read wild ginger and Queen Anne's Lace (I think they're very pretty but can't they be invasive?). I just don't want the poor guys wandering off for more food and getting hurt or something.

I have 6 swallowtail cats in a pot covered with netting. They all started moving around, sort of like they were on a mission, and 2 of them got out of the netting (found a hole). I put them back in and they seem to be trying to get to the top. Maybe they will be forming chrysalises soon. This is my first time at raising cats so I'm really clueless. But the netting has worked so fine that I hope to do this again. There's a busy little house wren that would surely have had them for dinner already.

The cats that are on the move are probably fully grown and are looking for a safe place to hang themselves for their pupal stage. Most butterflies will try to find a spot away from the host plant. And they need a place that is sturdy, protected, and has enough space for their wings to expand and hang to dry when they emerge. Also, some of the Black Swallowtails won't emerge until next spring, so they need a place that will be safe through the wilds of winter.

Martha