Monarch Caterpillar Update

Posted in Daily Prompt, Nature, PhotographyTagged , , ,

Just two days after I posted about the Monarch caterpillars in my butterfly garden the caterpillars are continuing to devour every leaf on several of my milkweed plants. One bite at a time, they chew up a leaf and move on to the next. In just a few days they have stripped some of the plants until there is nothing left but bare stems.

Yesterday morning I counted about 10 caterpillars. One had attached itself in the hose reel on the edge of the flower bed. It was preparing to transform into a chrysalis.

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Monarch Caterpillar preparing to make chrysalis

A little while later I settled down in my chair under the arbor to read a book. I was facing the hose reel but was so engrossed in the book I didn’t look up for about 30 minutes. When I finally glanced over at the caterpillar I saw that while I was reading it had become a chrysalis.

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Monarch chrysalis day 1

Today there are more caterpillars and less milkweed leaves. They will continue taking their bites until they are full grown and ready to transform into a chrysalis.

Meanwhile, there are still Monarch butterflies flying around in pairs doing their mating dance. I’ve had a hard time getting a picture but I managed to catch this one drinking nectar on a Mexican Sunflower.

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Monarch butterfly feeding on Mexican Sunflower

I’ll be keeping my eye on the chrysalis and hope to see a butterfly emerge in about 7 to 10 days.

This post was inspired by Discover Prompts Day 9 -Bite.

16 thoughts on “Monarch Caterpillar Update”

  1. What a treat. You gave me goosebumps. I started some Mexican sunflower seeds last week because for some odd reason they do not sell them at our local nurseries. We had some last year at a butterfly garden, and they were definitely a hit with all the pollinators. Happy Easter.

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    1. Thank you Judy. That sunflower popped up naturally from one of last year’s seeds. I planted some more seeds this year but it will be a while before they are big. I will be keeping a close eye on the chrysalis. I hope I don’t miss seeing the new butterfly when it comes out.

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  2. Very nice photos. It’s remarkable how quick things grow and transform in the spring. I hope you get to see and take photos of the new butterfly. Have a nice weekend!

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  5. Loved your Monarch post. You must have planted Mexican sunflower seeds earlier this year to have blooms. I live in St Marys, GA and also had a good number of Monarchs fly through on way north. Yes, ate all…almost all… milkweed. Love your travel posts!

    Happy Easter, Gail Farley

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    1. Thank you for stopping by my blog. That Mexican sunflower came up from a seed that spread naturally from last years sunflowers. I planted more seeds in early March that hopefully will be blooming this summer. Thankfully I still have some other milkweed plants for the hungry caterpillars.

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