Monarchs – the next generation
Over the last couple of weeks, the Monarch Butterflies have been spending time in the Gardens at Waters East.
The Milkweed is their favorite food, and they lay their eggs on the plant’s leaves so that the hatching babies have a food source right-at-hand. Here is a photo of one of the eggs, and a couple photos of the young caterpillars eating taken this past weekend in the gardens.
These caterpillars will form chrysalis, turn into full adult Monarchs, continue the long journey from these gardens north, even into Canada, lay eggs that will become more caterpillars, form chrysalis, become adult butterflies and those butterflies (the fourth generation from those that left Mexico) will make the very long flight back to central Mexico, never having been there in Mexico. On their way to Mexico, some will spend a day or two here feeding and resting then continue their flight to Mexico the next morning. Truly a fantastic story!
That is really quite amazing, a miracle even.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is true.
DeleteIt is an amazing story! Lucky you. Usually I have eggs and caterpillars in my garden by now, but not this year. Plenty of various species of milkweed, but they skipped my house, and now we're so dry down here. Hoping for some rain. Enjoy the caterpillars and the butterflies!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy! Seeing them now, then on the return of the next generation later in the fall. Two years now they have gathered by the hundreds and hundreds on the trees here at the gardens for a day or two of rest before they continue on their journey.
ReplyDelete