Here I am searching the milkweed plants hoping to find a monarch caterpillar. I have been protecting these plants for weeks but had seen no sign of the monarchs. The plants grew top-heavy with their giant seed pods and eventually toppled over. I knew that wouldn’t appeal to the monarchs so I propped the plants up with large stones. While looking at the milkweed plants one more time today I finally noticed a damaged leaf. I looked closer, turned the leaf over and found a great big monarch caterpillar!
The season for caterpillars is quickly coming to an end so I suspect this one will soon form its chrysalis and emerge to join the special generation of monarch butterflies migrating to Mexico. It’s hard to believe that this little guy will travel from Muskoka to Mexico, two thousand miles, leaving the rest of us buried in snow while he plays in the sun.
Min
Monarch caterpillar looks fat and healthy – milkweed must be nutritious – hope it makes it all that way to Mexico –
Otter Boyd
I hope so too!
Alexia
I’ve got milkweed plants along my driveway and I know the Monarch lays its eggs there. I love the close up of the caterpillar and his bright colours.
Otter Boyd
Thanks, good luck with the milkweeds on your driveway. If this caterpillar forms a chrysalis on the milkweed I’ll take some macro photos of that too. That will give you one more thing to look out for on your plants.