It was Carolyn’s blog about her monarch caterpillar, that made me think to check my milkweed plants for caterpillars.
Already past the invisible stage in its life, showing it’s true toxic colors, this Monarch caterpillar, about 1/4″ long was happily munching on the milkweed leaf it was born on.
Then I looked at the other milkweed plants and found what I thought was a butterfly egg. So I texted a photo to my friend Jackie, who has raised many monarch butterflies, and she too thought it was an egg. And had just gotten a text from her friend Becky that she found a monarch caterpillar too.
I loved the caterpillar connection between the four of us.
This morning I didn’t see the little caterpillar on the milkweed plant, but they usually leave the plant although they stay within 20 to 30 feet of the milkweed. So I’ll be keeping an eye out for the caterpillars, chrysalis, and butterflies.
I’ll let you know what I find.
That’s so awesome! The Monarch caterpillar looks similar to the Swallowtail caterpillar. The dill is blooming so We are keeping an eye out for Swallowtail butterflies and hopefully we will get some caterpillars and butterflies Have fun with the Monarchs, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with the egg
Now I really want to make sure I plant some dill next year Josie. For me and the butterflies. Hope you get some Swallowtails.
They grow so fast! Watching with curiosity
They do Carolyn, it’s surprising!
just went out to my milkweed patch. I had seen one small caterpillar 2 days ago, not on the milkweed
but nearby. Yesterday felt a bit distressed because the leaves were pretty intact, not eaten. Looked
closer today and saw some eaten up leaves. And maybe an egg now that I know what I am looking for.
What fun!
I’ve seen some eaten leaves too Sharon, little oval holes. Sometimes those caterpillars are elusive.
Excited for you! That does look like an egg. One day in the garden I watched a Swallowtail lay eggs on one of my herb plants and they looked just like that. I’ve planted 3 kinds of milkweed but no takers yet except for the pollinators on the blossoms. Not so bad though……….happy bugs. Linda
That is very cool Linda! I heard from two people that they had Swallowtail caterpillars on dill plants. How nice to have different types of milkweed. I only have the one that just grew here, but it’s spreading.
Great post, Maria. I have seen only two caterpillars this year on my milkweed. last year I had a dozen or more chrysalis. but now I know what their eggs look like and I will go and check again!
Wow Nancy, that’s a lot. Good for the Monarch’s I saw the caterpillar again yesterday. But not this moring, I’ll check again later.