Larva Update

We're 5 days into the larval stage.

The water reservoirs are working well. The larvae seem to be happy to munch away without moving very far. They really do seem to prefer the tender new leaves.

They've doubled in size from their first day out of the egg.

Those black specks are its frass (poop) which will get bigger as the larva gets bigger.

Using this system, I don't have to do a lot of work as their fresh food source is right there. I just have to make sure the reservoirs are topped up with water a couple of times a day. Pretty soon they'll go into the 'Caterpillar Castle' where they'll spend the rest of their larval stage and then pupate, forming their chrysalis on the top of the mesh cube.

I haven't found any other eggs or larvae yet altho' it is early in the season. We have lots of milkweed in and around our garden and yard so I'll keep looking.

Any monarchs that emerge before August 1 will mate and lay eggs in the area. It is those offspring that will make their way down to Mexico for the winter and three generations will work their way back north next spring.