Field Notes
Monarch life cycle (complete metamorphosis): egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult
A single monarch, Danaus plexippus, egg observed on the underside of a milkweed, Asclepias, host plant leaf of common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca.
Photograph courtesy of Mary Ann Wagner
1st and 2nd instar monarch, Danaus plexippus, caterpillars being raised indoors feeding on common milkweed, Asclepais syriaca.
Photograph courtesy of Mary Ann Wagner
4th and 5th instar monarch, Danaus plexippus, caterpillars being raised indoors feeding on common milkweed, Asclepais syriaca.
Photograph courtesy of Mary Ann Wagner
5th instar monarch, Danaus plexippus, caterpillar feeding on common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, along Tinker’s Creek during a Cleveland Metropark: Woodland's of Bedford hike led by Fred Losi at Bedford Reservation on 27 July 2014.
This 5th instar monarch caterpillar (larva) was observed at 1:45 pm hanging upside down in a J position on 2 September 2019 in Nelson Twp.
The same monarch larva was observed at 4:27 pm in its newly formed chrysalis after shedding its skin on 2 September 2019 in Nelson Twp.
The same monarch larva was observed an hour later at 5:30 pm in its hardened protective chrysalis on 2 September 2019 in Nelson Twp.
Adult female monarch, Danaus plexippus, butterfly tagged during a Native Plant Society Monarch Tagging program led by Judy Semroc and Larry Rosche at the North Kingsville Sand Barrens on 23 September 2017.
Adult monarch, Danaus plexippus, and viceroy, Limenitis archippus, butterflies look very similar. Although the viceroy is slightly smaller than the monarch, a key field mark of a viceroy is a black line across the hind wings.
Photograph courtesy of Mary Ann Wagner
