Date: 09/03/2015

Number: 6

So, I decided today to go looking for more caterpillars and I found 6! One was just up my rural road about a 1/8 of a mile from our driveway entrance. I was checking on the large milkweed cluster I had seen earlier this summer. To my horror - this beautiful patch had been mowed down. Just one milkweed stalk remained. This stalk had only a few leaves remaining and it was lying down on the ground - still rooted. There on one of the last dry leaves was a caterpillar. I was very happy to see one remaining caterpillar and eager to captive raise it to an adult butterfly. This was a rescue for sure!

I also found 3 caterpillars in a large field of milkweed and golden rod located in back of our rural post office. Unfortunately, I found one dead caterpillar. A photo is provided as a reminder that caterpillars face many dangers. Responsible captive rearing is more important than ever, in my opinion. We need to get as many healthy monarchs flying to their winter roosting trees in Mexico as is possible.

The last two I found were on a very dry and mostly eaten milkweed stalk growing along a busy main road. I was very happy to "rescue" these caterpillars.

Arcade, NY

Latitude: 42.6 Longitude: -78.4

Observed by: Donna
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