A New Visitor

I've been feeling a bit poorly the last few days, so I haven't been out in the garden. Yesterday, when Garden Man got home from work, I stepped out front to check on my recent purchases which will be part of our fall perennial border re-work.  One of the plants I purchased was Asclepias incarnata in hopes of drawing Monarchs.

Much to my surprise, I found this fellow happily munching away.

Needless to say, I'm a bit excited. I'd never seen a Monarch caterpillar before, and now I have one in my garden. Never mind the plant is still in a pot, it's already hosting. I've read the caterpillars are mature at 2 inches, and this one is just a hair shy of that length. I checked him this morning, and he's still munching, although more slowly than yesterday. It won't be long before he pupates, something I hope I get to witness, too. If not, just having had him here will have been enough.

Comments

[Cheryl]

Fabulous photography..... the monarch, how wonderful.......we have the same interests it would appear....I shall visit again......

Thanks for dropping by my blog and the comment you left which was indeed very helpful.....

[Gail]

Wonderful photo, I haven't seen him in my garden! Nor his butterfly!

[Cindy Dyer]

Hey Kim!
Great Monarch caterpillar photo. Want to see it published? Sorry, no funds; I don't get paid to design this newsletter or to shoot for it, either.

The publication is "Butterflies & Gardens" and it's published by Happy Tonics in Shell Lake, Wisconsin. I met Mary Ellen, the founder of Happy Tonics (www.happytonics.org) several years ago when I purchased milkweed seeds on eBay. We started up a conversation and we've been friends from afar ever since. Her primary focus is preserving butterfly habitat, specifically for the Monarchs. She loves to hear stories from across the country about Monarch sightings, and I might be able to include your image and brief story in her little newsletter I'm working on this week. Go to the website (www.happytonics.org) and you can download a pdf file from the past issue to see what it looks like. I would give you a credit line for the article and photo and would ask her to send extra hard copies directly to you for your portfolio. If you're interested, just e-mail me the highest resolution you have of that photo, and if you want that posting to accompany it, we can modify it so it looks like a little (very little) article. If you're interested, we'd love to include it in the newsletter! If not, that's perfectly okay, too.

Thanks!
Cindy

[deena]

Awesome and look at him eat..
I looked for caterpillars this year..
but can't seem to find any..
We just don't get near as many
butterflies as I'd like..
love your blog..adding it to my faves..
deena

[Beckie]

Kim, isn't is great to find these little guys! I went back the next day, but they were gone-hopefully to pupate. I haven't seen any cocoons though. Saw your comment on Clay and Limestone about your blog's name and thought it a wonderful story. Thanks for visiting my blog and keep watching for those caterpillars.

[Pam]

That is a super cool photo and so wonderful to have the butterflies love your garden. I have not had any this year at all even tho I have several things I thought they would like - yarrow, Joe Pye weed, Sedum 'Autumn Joy' to name a few.

[Dave]

Great photo! I haven't seen one of them over in our garden yet but I'll keep looking. It would be great to have a few monarchs around!

[gail]

Just wondering how you are feeling? Glad you stopped by today!

gail