Recently in the milkweed garden I witnessed something I had never seen! Here are several very short video clips! Usually the monarch caterpillars are chomping away at the leaves, reducing them to mere veins. This caterpillar and then another (which is featured later in the blog), ate their way through the top of the plant. I assume they began from wherever their particular egg hatched. I suppose when all the upper leaves are gone, this is the fastest way down the plant to fresh greenery!

Then a bit later I checked on it’s progress.

A different one found the fastest way down was to climb! But he seemed to be seeking shade rather than food. Resting at the end.

Tap here to see video https://youtu.be/KQxi_OIEf9Q

So here is chewer #2. Watch for the little caterpillar on underside of lower leaf! You may have to scroll down to see all of it!

So I guess the message from nature is if you have a weighty problem, chew through it?!?