I think most of the visitors to this blog are aware of the sinking numbers of Monarchs. I have seen very few over the last few years and none this year at all. Until last night. As the light faded ahead of a small weather event, I went out to close the windows in my car and checked my milkweed plants along the driveway. Someone had been nibbling on leaves the last few days and left telltale frass, so I have been hopeful….. and there it was under a leaf near the bottom of the plant. I’ve never been able to do a cartwheel, but I would have was I.
Yesterday, I claimed that I almost never shoot without a tripod. Liar, liar, pants on fire. In the dimming light and the slight breeze, I chose my 40D and 100 macro, with the old 550EX flash at -1 stop reduced and lay down on the ground. Maybe today I’ll get a chance in better light, but I am still happy to have got this shot and even happier that we have at least one cool cat in the yard….and this is the sort of cat that Murphy approves as well. 🙂
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
The things we do for a photo. It’s a grand shot, Steve. Let’s hope there are more to come. Is this it’s only LFP?
LikeLike
LFP?
LikeLike
Larval food plant.
LikeLike
Yes. There is a movement across the country to plant more milkweed so they have a better chance to thrive. And there is the added benefit that the scent of the milkweed flower is heavenly.
LikeLike
I thought LVP meant Live for Photography, which is what we do.
LikeLike
Yes, I believe it does, Steve and Andrew.
LikeLike
Fascinating, and thank you!
LikeLike
Thank you, Anthony.
LikeLike
Good news! I will be adding milkweed to my backyard area.
LikeLike
Excellent, Jim.
LikeLike
Gorgeous shot and well worth the contortion.
Yesterday, for the first time in several years on our Northern California property a gigantic swallowtail flew in and stopped for coffee on my burnt yellow lantana plant. That’s why your post today caught my attention. The Lepidoptera !
LikeLike
Thank you, Ladybugg. I hope you get some more swallowtail visitors.
LikeLike
Glad to see at least one of these beauties is gracing your milkweed. We have seen about three monarchs this year, none last year and there were dozens and dozens in previous years.
See, who needs a tripod? 🙂
LikeLike
I am not fooling myself into thinking this indicates a mass rebound, but seeing even one is encouraging, Rod.
I most definitely need a tripod, but once in a great while I can manage without one.
LikeLike
Great shot, nice and sharp and great colours.
LikeLike
Thank you, Ben. It’s all about getting nice and parallel.
LikeLike
Yeah, even with your pants on fire! 🙂 What a treat, to see this cool cat in your garden. I have a smattering of swamp milkweed running through my garden, and i’ve been seeing females visiting them so I’m hoping to see a caterpillar or two too.
LikeLike
I’d rather see a caterpillar than a two too. 😉
This morning I found a milkweed tussock caterpillar, but no pictures. If you saw females I do hope they left you some presents. Both for you and Danaus plexippus posterity.
LikeLike
It’s interesting how the exclamation marks in your title mimic the black stripes on the caterpillar.
LikeLike
Yes, it is. I guess my subconscious consciousness was quite excited as well.
LikeLike
That is so amazing, I love the detail you captured. You really created and interesting and fun image.
LikeLike
Thanks very much, Charlie.
LikeLike
When I visited the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art last fall, they had this sign along their nature path. Judging from your photo, they did a fair job of duplicating the caterpillar in chalk.
Just by chance, the Writers’ Almanac featured a poem by Robert Bly last week, called “The Caterpillar.”It’s such a great prose/poem – your caterpillar would have done as well for his model.
LikeLike
Ahhh… I saw the tag I didn’t close just as I hit “enter”. Feel free to fix that up. I was too busy enjoying the poem and not paying attention. 😉
LikeLike
I made a total mess trying to fix the tags, Linda. If you want to add it back as a comment then I will know exactly what should be what. When I looked at it in edit mode, there was all sorts of stuff that I didn’t think belonged there and each time I tried to correct it, when I checked the post and then returned to edit, it was totally changed from how I had left it. Sorry.
LikeLike
Here you go.
Love your monarchs!
The world’s maybe-best caterpillar poem.
LikeLike
Thanks, Linda. Unfortunately, I only just now found this in my spam folder. Who knows why. I liked both the placard with the butterfly facts and the piece from Robert Bly. Didn’t seem very poem-like though. Ten cent airmail stamps? 🙂
LikeLike
Very nice indeed. The milkweed around here is just in fruit … I will keep a close watch on visitors. Beautiful, crisp, shot. D
LikeLike
Thanks!
I have not seen the larva again, but have seen several Milkweed Tussocks. Moths and not at all losing numbers. I hope you get to see and possibly host some successful larvae and adults.
LikeLike