The Monarch Caterpillar

This intriguing little creature, just hatching from an incubated egg on the leaf of a milkweed plant, is a mere one quarter inch long! A second egg hasn't hatched, yet. More often, there is just one egg laid on a leaf or stem. When the new hatchling crawls free it begins its purposeful eating, sometimes starting with the egg casing.

Looking more closely at the larva as it ventures forth, see the nearly colorless appearance of the maggot,except for its black head. With all the vital organs it has internally, it appears to be ivory beside a crystaline egg case. This is all going to change rapidly, as the active creature grows. The larva progresses through five moults, called instars, to become a mature caterpillar.

We are familiar with the saying "you are what you eat..." With the new diet, the hatchling quickly takes on the leaf color, making it much harder for hungry predators to spot before the larva accumulates milkweed toxin: part of the amazing story of designed stages of protective coloring in the monarch.

As the caterpillar grows through the several moults , it changes markings to its distinctive, well-known black and white/yellow. These markings make the caterpillar uniquely stand out. Having well developed toxicity noxious to many birds, these markings send a message to "leave me alone!"

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