Last week I posted a photo of a caterpillar on my Asclepias Incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) and admittedly did not know what it was. But as I mentioned in yesterday’s entry, so many readers educate me each and every time I post and this time was no different. I was immediately informed as to what it was by so many.
My next step was to do my own research to learn even more. Before I get to that, however, let me share some photos with you:
They are quickly destroying the Swamp Milkweeds as we speak:
And I couldn’t be more thrilled to watch the devastation. It is a sight to behold. Now on to some factoids:
- Females lay eggs on the underside of Milkweed leaves
- The eggs hatch within 3-6 days
- Milkweed is the only plant Monarchs can eat
- Within 9-14 days the caterpillar is 2″
- Monarchs shed their skin 5 times
- The last shedding is when they form their chrysalis
- Monarchs leave the plant when full grown and find their final locale to ultimately become a butterfly
- The whole life cycle is 9-14 days as they transform from caterpillar to butterfly
- The butterflies then mate 4-6 days after hatching
And once the caterpillar has become a beautiful butterfly, it looks like this:
Ain’t nature grand?
ONG
Wow! You have a lot of them.
So many, fabulous. I would lose any plant to have the beautiful butterflies in my garden. The caterpillars are great to look at to…
Take care of those babies…..
John,
Why don’t you do an experiment with your kids.. I’m sure they’d be thrilled to watch this. I used to do it with mine. I took one of the caterpillars off and put it in a jar (a large mason or mayo jar) put some saran wrap on top poked with holes and rubber banded around the top of the jar. Put a stick in the jar and some parsley or leaves. Within days the caterpillar will start to make it’s cocoon on the stick.. Let it be for about 3 weeks and then… have your kids check the jar and suddenly a butterfly will hatch. My kids LOVED that!
Wow, what fabulous photos! Great post. This is definitely a great way for kids to learn about butterflies.
Now you’re a flyway station! Isn’t the transition of life wonderful?
Nature is amazing! I love those caterpillars! They look so cartoon-ish! We have a lot of the fuzzy variety areound here. I’m not sure of the names. The butterflies around here are mostly the little white ones, and Swallowtail, which my daughter loves to chase around the yard with her butterfly net!
Thank you for the education on this! Now I need to go searching out in back of my house in the field where the milkweed grow and see what I can find.