Date: 09/20/2017

Number: 1

One caterpillar in the J position was sighted on a Russian sage plant that grows within the largest area of milkweed concentration in the garden. The caterpillar could have fed on tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) or swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), or both, during its development.

The last caterpillar we sighted like this one a week ago never pupated. It was parasitized by tachinid fly larvae and died shortly after assuming the J position. I have strong hope for this beauty that it will be allowed to metamorphose into a healthy migrating monarch ready to meet its destiny on the wind.

NOTE: The caterpillar has company. A bevy of painted ladies on sedum blooms are to the left. To the right of the picture and slightly upward is the caterpillar in an early in the J position.

Oklahoma City, OK

Latitude: 35.5 Longitude: -97.5

Observed by: Denise
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