Does anyone have a photo of a Monarch cat when it first emerges from the egg? I have some eggs on a milkweed leaf, and I assumed they had hatched today, but they don't look like cats. They look like something else that may have eaten the cats or eggs. Any help is appreciated. Here is a photo of what I have...
Thanks... Karen
I'm not a cat expert, but those look an awful lot like ladybug babies.
Those aren't Monarch caterpillars. Not sure if they are milkweed bugs, ladybug larvae or perhaps some type of cinch or assassin bug.
This is a newly emerged caterpillar of a Queen butterfly and some nearby eggs. It is very similar to the Monarch and in the same danaus species...but these guys have three sets of tubercles instead of two like the Monarchs. They also eat milkweed.
~ Cat
This message was edited May 30, 2007 9:36 PM
Here's what a Monarch egg looks like...normally laid one to a leaf unless their larval host is scarce. A female butterfly may lay several eggs on one leaf if she deems there are no other suitable leaves...but the eggs are never laid in clusters.
~ Cat
Karen - I agree with others here! Must be a milkweed bug explosion or ladybugs. I hope it's ladybugs!!! You don't want the mw beetles!
I think you do have a clutch of ladybug larvae!! Try this pic and see what you think.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/73064
Good link Sheila...indeed they look like ladybug larvae.
Karen...ladybug larvae are good guys. They will eat aphids on the milkweeds and won't harm your plants.
~ Cat
Yeppers! Ladybugs it is!!! Congrats! They are a gardener's best friend! :-)
strange looking little bugs... but EVEN STRANGER at the nest stage... when they grow a ltiile longer, change colors, and attach themselves to the leaves.... like aliens from outer space.....
They will look like this in no time.
http://davesgarden.com/bf/showimage/1850/
Karen!
How great is that? Just as welcome as Monarch and Queens. What a good start for the season too! Congrats!!
:-Deb
yep Sheila... that's the stage that creeps me out... but they sure grow up to be cuties!! I didn't know what they were when I found them on my Mulberry tree... until my nephew (12 yrs old) informed me ALL about their metamorphosis.... he's a bug nerd and a GREAT source of info... thank God for Animal Planet and Discover channel...
Good find! I've n ever seen those!
Adrienne
Yep... it looks like Ladybug larvae. That's good... I don't mind them. I did see alot of ladybugs on the milkweed when I was hunting for the Monarch cats. They were kind of freaking me out though, so I just laid the leaf aside so they could go their own way, away from me!!!
Thanks to everyone!
Karen
I'm sure glad I checked out this thread. I never gave any thought to what a lady bug starts out looking like. Good to know as I have LOTS of them in my garden this year and if they head over to my milkweed (in my butterfly garden) I will know to leave them alone.
