Date: 11/15/2008

Number: 1

I have been watching three monarch caterpillars devouring the milkweed I planted for the last 5 days. Today I saw three monarch butterflies flying around the milkweed. I was watching the caterpillars and they flew down to the plant and then away when they came near to where I was standing. The caterpillars do not stay on the milkweed. At night they go onto an alder tree near the milkweed and stay on the underside of the leaves. At first I thought they were eating the alder, but it looks like they just hide under the leaves at night. One of the caterpillars was eating throughout the night last night.

Northridge, CA

Latitude: 34.2 Longitude: -118.5

Observed by: Ellen
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