Caterpillar Hunting
Last Update: August 12, 2012
I have a problem, I let some milkweed pods germinate in my backyard.
Now they have infiltrated my garden and are growing out into the yard. This isn't a huge problem as I am a Monarch Caterpillar raiser. At this time of year, I collect Monarch caterpillars and raise them in a bucket. When they go into their chrysalis' I mount them and give them as gifts to important people in my life.
They enjoy them for a week or two then when they hatch they release them back into the wild.
This year, as I was picking peas, I saw a Butterfly stop by my milkweed and deposit eggs. 5 days later they hatched out in the bucket that I had provided for just this eventuality.
I have 5 growing caterpillars from the batch that I saw her lay. Apparently, another mother has been by recently as there are 4 more eggs that were deposited within the last day or two.
With all the activity in my backyard, I decided I might try checking a few milkweed fields today to see if there were any Monarch caterpillars about.
I checked about 100 plants or so and saw some indication that there was activity, this takes the form of Caterpillar castings. But out of the whole field I only located one Caterpillar. It was fully formed and will probably start it's transformation into a Chrysalis within the next few days. My others are still under an inch long.
As I was returning to my car, I saw a brilliant Yellow spider hanging out in the field. I have located an image of this spider for your enjoyment. I took some pictures but stayed far enough away that they probably didn't do the spider justice. Once I am able to transfer them(lost my cable) I'll see how they look.
I wonder if this is what a Google Spider looks like?
Now they have infiltrated my garden and are growing out into the yard. This isn't a huge problem as I am a Monarch Caterpillar raiser. At this time of year, I collect Monarch caterpillars and raise them in a bucket. When they go into their chrysalis' I mount them and give them as gifts to important people in my life.
They enjoy them for a week or two then when they hatch they release them back into the wild.
This year, as I was picking peas, I saw a Butterfly stop by my milkweed and deposit eggs. 5 days later they hatched out in the bucket that I had provided for just this eventuality.
I have 5 growing caterpillars from the batch that I saw her lay. Apparently, another mother has been by recently as there are 4 more eggs that were deposited within the last day or two.
With all the activity in my backyard, I decided I might try checking a few milkweed fields today to see if there were any Monarch caterpillars about.
I checked about 100 plants or so and saw some indication that there was activity, this takes the form of Caterpillar castings. But out of the whole field I only located one Caterpillar. It was fully formed and will probably start it's transformation into a Chrysalis within the next few days. My others are still under an inch long.
As I was returning to my car, I saw a brilliant Yellow spider hanging out in the field. I have located an image of this spider for your enjoyment. I took some pictures but stayed far enough away that they probably didn't do the spider justice. Once I am able to transfer them(lost my cable) I'll see how they look.
I wonder if this is what a Google Spider looks like?
Join the Discussion
Write something…
gud
Premium
A Monarch caterpillar almost looks like a long green tiger. It is the same color as the milkweed leaf as base color and then has yellow, black and I think I remember some white stripes to give if a Tiger like look. As they get larger they have long black horn like appendages. They are very interesting insects. I used to raise them myself when I lived in Ohio some 20 years ago.
Thanks for the memories Labman
Thanks for the memories Labman
willdoweb
Premium
I grow and raise a lot of my own food - always adding to it as space /money /need permits. When I finish building my house (yes, I'm building a house) I plan on having the whole shebang. So, having studied about raising so much my own, edible and medicinal plants, home remedies, natural cures for pests etc... I find it almost embarrassing to ask... what does a monarch caterpillar look like?