Monday, July 23, 2012

We've Got Caterpillars

Monarch Butterfly caterpillars, that is.


 I was just out in the yard checking the milkweed


I counted 8 caters, and I think there's likely more.  One was so tiny, couldn't be more than a day or two old.  

It's been a couple of years since our last big monarch irruption.  It's so much fun to watch the life cycle of these lovely beings.


 Another one


 Oh, hello!


Very funny, Freddie.  Now, get back to your own blog!  And I do wish you wouldn't park your plump little self in that clump of siberian irises.  You are wrecking them. 





6 comments:

  1. Awesome. Hope you get to follow the caterpillars from here on to butterfly stage.

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  2. They certainly are beautiful creatures at all stages. I found your dickcissel speculation really interesting. About a month ago I saw a flock of about 30 gathering on a favorite prarie of mine. Very unsual. Perhaps they were grouping to head north your way.... :)

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    1. Dickcissels are interesting. They gather in the 1000s in the northern parts of South America, are agricultural pests in such big numbers. We usually just see a single bird first, a few days later, another one, etc. Don't seem to arrive this far north in flocks. The first ones I found here were in the same hay fields many occupied in 2006 - the last irruption. There are scads of hay fields in the region. Maybe just coincidence.....

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