![]() |
Queen Butterfly Larva |
Just like in adult form, the larval form of the queen looks very similar to a Monarch. And like the Monarch, they are fond of Milkweeds. These larvae in my backyard in Maricopa were found on a Mexican Bloodflower (Asclepias curassavica), which is also sometimes called Mexican Milkweed. We'd planted Mexican Bloodflower both because of its excellent flowers, which butterflies seem to like, but also because of the attraction that Queens and Monarchs have to it.
![]() |
Queen Butterfly Larva |
Hopefully the caterpillars in my yard will survive to the next stage (pupa, or chrysalis; not cocoon, which is specific to moths), but unfortunately the Milkweed that these larvae are on is not in great shape, and has been struggling to survive the summer. I've been considering relocating a few of the caterpillars to a healthier milkweed.
Update: The caterpillars did progress to chrysalis - see the Queen Pupa post for more.
No comments:
Post a Comment