Date: 06/25/2018

Number: 1

Monarch Waystation #271 reports a large 5th instar monarch found sunning itself on a Rudbeckia hirta plant in the back yard this morning sometime between 10 and 11 am. At first it lay upside down with rear prolegs on the upper leaf surface, and the weight of the caterpillar draped the leaf onto a lower leaf. The caterpillar rested its head on the lower leaf's axil and was fully exposed to the early morning sun, standing out starkly from the vegetation. When checked later it took the pose you see in the attached photo. Note it's head is shaded under one leaf while the rest of its body is exposed sideways to the sun while gripping another leaf. When checked later on it was gone, probably very warmed up and hopefully on "walkabout."

Newport News, VA

Latitude: 37.1 Longitude: -76.5

Observed by: Judy
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