The Hungry Caterpillars - A Surprise Monarch Bonanza

It has been, according to the local weather forecasters, the fourth rainiest July on record. I did not see a single monarch. And I grieved.

The most densely packed monarch batch yet

Until a few days ago when there was movement in the milkweeds.

Caterpillars. Definitely monarchs. Maybe 15, maybe 20? Hard to tell, they keep appearing, disappearing, reappearing.

Did you know that when the caterpillar has become too large for its skin, it molts, or sheds its skin. The intervals between molts are called instars. Monarchs go through five instars. The image on the right is, I’m guessing, instar 3 or 4. As they grow the skin gets tighter, shinier, and the caterpillars bigger.

The hawk likely got the hummingbirds, but at least there are now monarchs. It will be another week of milkweed decimation before they wrap up in emerald silk, liquify and remerge. I’m watching.