Just the back yard!? Nah, I want the front and side yards landscaped in natives too.



Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Little Guy Seems Confused

I found the smaller of the three caterpillars on a blade of grass...that seemed very odd to me that it would leave the host plant--perhaps it fell and was climbing back up. I moved the little guy to a young, tender shoot and will check on him again.


The other two are plugging away and plumping up. :) ...and looking good.





2 comments:

Athena said...

Hi David!
Congratulations on finding monarchs arfter all! I thought I'd make a suggestion, in case you're still learning about caterpillar habits and such. Once they get as big as they can, they do what's called "wandering," in which they leave their host plant and travel around until they've found the spot they want to use to pupate. Then they'll make their chrysalis and do the rest of development. So, your little one might have reached its full size and been searching for a pupation spot. :)

David said...

Thanks, Athena. :) Last year was my first experience of observing the monarch larvae up close. I found the empty chrysalis...this year, I hope to find them before they eclose.

The two larger ones already left for their "walk-about" :)...but the little guy wasn't old enough to have been ready to pupate. By now, he may every well be and could be gone (lots of rain and I've not been out much to look for him).

Thanks for your post. :)