What Happens When Caterpillars Run Out Of Food?

[GranderTheGander]

I got two Cherry Brandy Black Eyed Susan plant roots to attract butterflies last spring, put them outside in a fabric pot when they outgrew the hydroponic planter, and spent most of the time trying to keep them from getting too much or too little water. Butterflies have laid eggs on the leaves, which is fine with me, and the caterpillars are eating all the leaves, which is fine with me . . . but what will happen when all the leaves are gone. Plenty more eggs are hatching, but there will be no leaves for them to eat. Will they starve? This happened once before with parsley plants I had, and I actually ended up buying the caterpillars store parsley. They ate that parsley, t.​

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[sourland]

If you don't/can't supply food, they will die.

 

[GranderTheGander]

Well, that's not good. I guess they are swallowtails and I will get some organic parsley from the store.