Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: What are these on my milkweed?, 1 by margaran

margaran wrote:
Hi,

I just bought a new batch of plants from a different nursery. These plants are younger, not yet ready to flower. I did notice a few Monarch eggs on the ones at the plant store but none on the ones I brought home.
I have this new looking critter on the milkweed. Doesn't look quite like a caterpillar- it's kind of flat with a lenghtwise stripe. Also, it's ?head end is pointed and the movement is quick and whiplike. Locomotion doesn't look right either. The Monarch cat's legs seem to ripple back to front in a wave where this moves more evenly. I've also noticed this silk blob on a couple of this batch of milkweed plants. I think these may be related. Can you tell me what this is? Friend or foe?

Thanks in advance,

Maggie