Date: 08/31/2020

Number: 2

I recently saw a single monarch. Then a day or two later, there were two. Then on Monday I noticed my milkweed looking bad. Upon closer inspection I found 14 caterpillars. The following day I found 26 caterpillars.

Yesterday morning (day 3) I noticed nearly all my milkweed was eaten and panicked. I finally found a nursery with some milkweed. I drove 3 hours to find a private nursery with monarchs flying everywhere. They had plants about 18-24� tall. I bought 12 more plants.

When I was putting them in my car I noticed caterpillars already on the new milkweed.

When I got home, I could only find 3 remaining caterpillars. Do birds eat them? Could they have all gone into cocoons?

Today I see only the three caterpillars still on my old milkweed. I see many more on the new milkweeds.

The man who owns the nursery told me he brings his caterpillars inside to eat, grow and change. Is this recommended?

Ellenboro, NC

Latitude: 35.3 Longitude: -81.8

Observed by: charlotte
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