Date: 09/11/2015

Number: 75

I have not seen any caterpillars this week, but last week I found 15 on wild plants and moved them into my enclosures. They have all pupated and two have emerged from chrysalis and were released today. This season, I had about 5 caterpillars that made the crawl to the top and just kind of stop and not J-up. I don't know why except maybe weakened or suffered from stress of being captured or enclosed with other caterpillars. Overall, I have released at least 60 this year and still have approximately 15 pupae still hanging. There were 4 to 5 pupae that darkened but never emerged. I don't know why that occurred either. Every year will be a new experience and I am planning for next year with more efficient enclosures and newly transplanted milkweed and new milkweed sites to gather the caterpillars. I am assuming that this is helping the butterfly population because of the persistent predation to the caterpillars. Last year I let the caterpillars stay on the plant and would find they would be gone in a day or two after citing.

bloomington, IN

Latitude: 39.1 Longitude: -86.5

Observed by: kenneth
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