Caterpillar Follies: Starring Oscar the Survivor

You know those crazy cat-lady type people, who go berserk over cats, and all they post all over social media is pictures of cats? Well, there are crazy monarch ladies too, and I think I'm becoming one of them. There is nothing that tickles me more than to watch the monarch caterpillars who are growing fat on the milkweed from our yard.

Three solid days of soaking rain is what happened to our weekend, into Monday. There was flooding in spots, with water and debris all over the roads. It wasn't very pleasant to be out. But somehow, on the milkweed plants, two huge caterpillars withstood the storm, accompanied by several smaller friends.

We were worried about the fate of the two biggest ones. The one spent most of the storm hiding under a leaf. The bigger one attached itself to a twig; I think it was attempting to molt, or something. (I love caterpillars, but I'm the first to admit I'm no expert; and no, they don't come with instruction books.)

On the second day of the storm, my husband moved the larger one and its twig onto a leaf that was sort of beneath another leaf, so that it would be somewhat sheltered. When I came out Tuesday morning, the big guy wasn't looking too good. I came by to check on him, and when I touched his twig, he moved. "Shake it off, shake it off!" I told him. "Eye of the tiger!"

My husband called later to report that as soon as the sun came out, the caterpillar began to eat like a champ. (I am saying "he" all along, but of course, I have no idea!) Hooray for signs of progress!

And when I arrived home from work on Tuesday, my husband reported, with great concern, that the larger caterpillar had fallen off its leaf TWICE during the day. To try to help out, he arranged a new and safer home for it: a hanging plant pot, which he filled with milkweed leaves, then placed the caterpillar inside.

We decided it was time to name this big boy, and my husband said his name was Oscar. More rain is expected, and so my husband moved Oscar, his tiny friend, and the plant pot under roof. So I am happy to report they are now living the high life, free of cares, in a plant pot on the front porch, with way more milkweed than they could ever eat in several lifetimes!

Here is a song for a survivor who made it through the storm. And what a fine strong butterfly he shall make! This one's for you, Oscar: Survivor, with Eye of the Tiger.