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Monarch Larva Sighted
Sightings report image

Date: 09/22/2016

Number: 7

First sited 6 at 2nd instar stage + 1 younger on 9/22 on two plants; began headcount morning and night. By 9/26 four accounted for, by 9/28 two, last siting of One on 10/1.
* one emerging from egg on A. incarnata plant 1 of 5 was dead within the hour, it turned black and never fully emerged 9/22
* one larva probably 2nd or 3rd instar on A. incarnata plant 1 of 5 died after I tried to pick it up. I learned my lesson. 9/26
* The other five larva were estimated 2nd instar, all on a tall but scraggly A. incarnata with barely any leaves. (3 pictured, look closely, they are tiny) The aphid infestation was the biggest on that plant in prior months.
I successfully moved all larva by clipping and transporting the branch they were on; not touching them. Two each went to my pair of the not preferred A. tuberosa which was much healthier. They lasted the longest. One chewed on the seedpod as well as leaves. I also observed that one twitching.
The other three I gradually moved to A incarnata plants 3 and 4 which also didn't have many leaves. I tried picking A syriaca from a roadside and bought a 6th incarnata plant. The picked leaves were nibbled on a little after attaching them to the stalk with a binder clip. I didn't see any nibbles on the new potted plant and that caterpillar went missing from its transport twig after a day.
*I created a separate report for the last siting 10/1 of the individual first moved to A tuberosa so I could attach that picture.

Hillsborough, NC

Latitude: 36.1 Longitude: -79

Observed by: Amy
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