Two plump Monarch caterpillars on some common milkweed. They looked ready for a transformation, or metamorphosis….
Danaus plexippus, Asclepias syriaca.
Nearby, an adult female seemed to be laying eggs. Here is one of the tiny things (I think). Will this egg open up to a caterpillar that becomes a butterfly that flies to Mexico this fall? The odds are against us, but you never know. Hope is a tiny egg on the underside of a leaf.
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Corey Robin does an excellent job of defining socialism.
Backyard and Beyond 
A relative told me that residents of Chicago’s north shore suburbs have been encouraged to plant milkweed to attract Monarchs on their migratory path. As a result, sightings have increased significantly. New Yorkers with gardens, take note!