June 13: Something was just calling me to double check the Milkweed garden along the back fence. The caterpillar I found the other day can’t be the only one and when I found it I noted the garden was mostly Milkweed stems from caterpillars who have come and gone in the last few weeks – wandered off to change into a chrysalis, become someone’s lunch, gone on a walkabout and perished. If there is another caterpillar back there it will starve.
I’m on a rescue mission.
I answered the call and went back to the garden, kneeled down in the dirt, and gently turned over the few remaining leaves because caterpillars mostly hangout out on the underside of the leaf. Lo and behold — a recently “hatched” caterpillar. Very easy to overlook.
Now it’s enjoying a fresh plant in my atrium garden and soon it will move into the condo with the Rescued One or go to MC’s house. I depart for trip #3 in less than a week and this one is too young. It takes about 2 weeks to transform into a chrysalis and until that time it needs a constant supply of Milkweed.
This may be a caterpillar for Team Monarch.
Post your comment