Monarch Monday...

Tempting as it was to blip another hummingbird today, I really wanted to record my "Monarch Mom" project in my journal.  About a week ago, I took some monarch caterpillars out of my garden where they were being picked off by assassin bugs.  I built a quick enclosure, stocked it with fresh milkweed leaves and watched them grow.  

This is the one I have dubbed #1 and he was the smallest when I rescued him.  He is now an inch long and is probably in his fourth phase (instar), although I am not totally certain about that.  I like this particular photo because you can see his "sucker" legs towards the back and his tiny real legs near his head.  You can also see that he is busy eating.  What you can't see is that he is busy pooping, too.  For any of you who haven't raised caterpillars before, they are pooping machines!

The largest of the three (#3) is probably only a day or so from turning into a chrysalis, something I hope I am here to see.  More tiny cats showing up in the garden, too...

Thanks for the comments, hearts and stars on my last two days of hummies.  As you know, I love photographing them, so I am glad that you haven't all gone into hummie-overload...yet.

Off to lunch.

Debbi

And in other news...I had to make a quick trip to my doctor this morning for a UTI - seems I am prone to them and so recognize the signs immediately.  And my doctor is wonderful about getting me in right away.  So, I'm not on the prescribed course of antibiotics and should be right-as-rain soon.