Pale Swallowtail Butterfly Egg

One of the 3 Pale Swallowtail eggs has darkened up and looks like it’s getting ready to hatch.  The other two eggs are still clear, I suspect they are duds, but  I will know for sure in a couple days.

The darkened egg hatches and out crawls. . .a tiny pale swallowtail caterpillar.  First thing he does is eat his entire egg.  I’ve set him up at a “makeshift salad bar” complete with the most tender green leaves of coffeberry, cherry,  California lilac and, and of course the leaf that he was laid on, peach (which is NOT considered a host plant for the pale swallowtail) .