Based on host plants, I would say your caterpillars are Tiger Swallowtails. In my yard they prefer the wild cherry, but I have also seen them on Tulip tree, sweet bay magnolia and wafer ash. Not sure if there are other kinds they eat. They seem to usually just hang out on their little silk pads during the day. So maybe that’s why they didn’t eat your cherry leaf yet? Haven’t seen a caterpillar in a while here, and the cherries already lost most of their leaves. Surprised you still have these tiny cats this time of year.

Thanks, Iris S. This is good to know. I have Sweet Bay Magnolias in my yard.... I'll give them a try. I read an article online that the caterpillars sense how much daylight there is, and based on that, they could go into hibernation mode for the winter as opposed to morphing into a butterfly now.... but I really don't know enough about butterflies to know if that could by why they are just hanging out and not moving around much. I am also surprised to see caterpillars this time of year. They are in a mesh butterfly container now indoors. I would like to put them back outside. I don't think keeping them inside is the best option. Even if I were to successfully raise them into butterflies, it would be winter when it would be time to release them.... and besides the potential freezing temps, there are very little, if any, nectar plants here in the winter.

As far as I know, these overwinter in the chrysalis. I would definitely keep them outside.

I agree.... they are going back outside today once it warms up. It is 46 degrees out right now.. I'll put them on the wild cherry sapling where I found them since I don't have another suitable location. I still don't have a positive identification as to what type of caterpillar they are, but since they aren't one bit interested in parsley, I am thinking they may be tiger swallowtails as you mentioned. Thanks again for your help!

sheltie6, and Iris thanks for the information.

I now know that my Long-Tailed skippers need to be outside.

If i dint't find this thread, my caterpillars would have died.

I'll put them outside. It's 57 over here.

With regard to your taking more photos of this caterpillar : Digital cameras react to a large area of light color by darkening the whole photo, and vice-versa In the above photo, although the dark leaf is good as immediate background of the dark caterpillar, place the leaf onto a large dark background, undetailed, nonreflective. Or place caterpillar directly onto said background.