Posts Tagged: monarch caterpillar

Leave Me Alone, Please--I'm Eating!

"Leave me alone, please--I'm eating." The monarch caterpillar feasting on the tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, in Vacaville, Calif.,...

A monarch caterpillar feasting on a tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch caterpillar feasting on a tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch caterpillar stretches out on a leaf, binge eating. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch caterpillar stretches out on a leaf, binge eating. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Well, hello there! But move along, please. Can't you see I'm eating? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Well, hello there! But move along, please. Can't you see I'm eating? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The milkweed is always greener on the other side. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The milkweed is always greener on the other side. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Love at First Bite, Love at First Sip

Picture this during National Pollinator Week: five monarch caterpillars and assorted honey bees sharing tropical milkweed. It was love at first...

Peek a bee! A honey bee forages on tropical milkweed blossoms while a monarch caterpillar chows down. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Peek a bee! A honey bee forages on tropical milkweed blossoms while a monarch caterpillar chows down. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Sharing during National Pollinator Week: a honey bee and a monarch caterpillar on tropical milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Sharing during National Pollinator Week: a honey bee and a monarch caterpillar on tropical milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Two honey bees go about their "bees-ness" while a monarch caterpillar dines. Milkweed is the host plant of the monarchs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Two honey bees go about their "bees-ness" while a monarch caterpillar dines. Milkweed is the host plant of the monarchs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close quarters: a honey bee and a monarch caterpillar on tropical milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close quarters: a honey bee and a monarch caterpillar on tropical milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Not a Good Time to Be a Monarch Caterpillar

Migrating monarchs are fluttering daily into our yard in Vacaville, Calif., one by one, two by two, three by three, and four by four, for a little...

A monarch caterpillar munches on tropical milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 27. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch caterpillar munches on tropical milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 27. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pacific Northwest monarchs began migrating to their overwintering sites along coastal California in last August and early September. This one touched down on milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Sept. 12. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pacific Northwest monarchs began migrating to their overwintering sites along coastal California in last August and early September. This one touched down on milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Sept. 12. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This was the scene Nov. 14, 2016 at the Natural Bridges State Park's Monarch Grove Butterfly Natural Preserve, Santa Cruz. They were overwintering 80 feet high in a eucalpytus tree. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This was the scene Nov. 14, 2016 at the Natural Bridges State Park's Monarch Grove Butterfly Natural Preserve, Santa Cruz. They were overwintering 80 feet high in a eucalpytus tree. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Making of a Monarch

If you're addicted to monarchs--and lament that they're overwintering in coastal California and in central Mexico and nowhere near you--no...

A monarch butterfly on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). Monarch puppets are available at the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch butterfly on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). Monarch puppets are available at the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarch t-shirts at the Bohart Museum of Entomology ask the question: "Got milkweed?" Milkweed is the host plant of monarchs; monarchs lay their eggs only on milkweed and caterpillars eat only milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarch t-shirts at the Bohart Museum of Entomology ask the question: "Got milkweed?" Milkweed is the host plant of monarchs; monarchs lay their eggs only on milkweed and caterpillars eat only milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Saga of the Milkweed, Bee and Caterpillar

So here's this tattered old worker bee seeking some nectar from the broadleaf milkweed, Asclepias speciosa. She looks as if she's not only been...

A tattered honey bee seeking nectar from a milkweed blossom encounters a monarch caterpillar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A tattered honey bee seeking nectar from a milkweed blossom encounters a monarch caterpillar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Well, hello, there!" The antennae of the bee and monarch caterpillar touch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Well, hello, there!" The antennae of the bee and monarch caterpillar touch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee gets stuck in the sticky pollinia of the milkweed as a monarch caterpillar keeps munching away. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee gets stuck in the sticky pollinia of the milkweed as a monarch caterpillar keeps munching away. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee carries the sticky winged pollen on her leg as she buzzes off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee carries the sticky winged pollen on her leg as she buzzes off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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