I have not seen a Monarch caterpillar in New York City since 2010. Now, I haven’t been actively surveying for them, but whenever I see milkweed, I do look closer. 
Six years is way, way too long a period to go without. As you probably know, Monarch have taken a severe beating from habitat destruction and climate change. This year is forecast to be another bad year for them. For the adult, butterfly, stage, I rarely see more than one or two a day in season.
So even seeing one is heartening. And yesterday I saw precisely one, munching steadily away.
(These were my phone pictures; I have a few more on my camera which I’ll post in a couple of days.)
Internet comrade Erin out on the other end of this long island has been raising a herd of Monarchs this summer, documenting their stages from egg to chrysalis and beyond. Check out her IG for pictures still and moving.
One Singular Sensation
4 responses to “One Singular Sensation”
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Great photos and post. I’m surprised that it has been so long since your last Monarch sighting. I see at least one a year in Manhattan. Nate and I saw one last week near the Hudson.
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Do you mean the butterfly or the caterpillar? I’ve seen the butterfly yearly; it’s the elusive caterpillar stage I mean.
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A beautiful creature. Thanks for capturing this.
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[…] is that lone Monarch caterpillar I saw a few weeks ago. I saw it again the next day, along with this little green pellet. Some quick […]
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