Monarch caterpillars

We have Monarch caterpillars!!!  This is so exciting. I had bought a milkweed plant sometime last year and who knew that a Monarch butterfly had laid some eggs on it!  We had seen one Monarch fly around so I'm so glad the milkweed plant was able to attract it.  Supposedly these butterflies might go extinct?!  Noooo..!!!

So Charlie and I counted a total of 14 caterpillars.  I'm not sure if there are that many left today as there isn't much milkweed left!  I had to call about 6 nurseries before I finally found one that had milkweed.  And even so, the 2 1-gallon tubs of milkweed that Bobby brought home looks a bit scrawny.  Still better than nothing I suppose.  I did read up online that Monarch caterpillars may also eat butternut squash and zucchini, so I'm going to try that too.  I can't let them die!

Hopefully we'll be able to post some good news once the chrysalis are formed.  I'm tempted to put a large netting over the milkweed.  That way I can track the caterpillars. Supposedly they can travel quite far (up to 30 ft!) to pupate.  Fingers and toes crossed for some future butterflies!!!