Day 15			Day 18
Picture #1	Picture #2	Picture #3	Picture #4

Milkweed is fast disappearing as each leaf lasts only minutes. Crunch, Munch, Gulp is the only sound. This is the stage where you must have planned ahead for your pet as no plant can grow fast enough to keep up. Your caterpillar must have plenty of Milkweed as no other plant can be eaten...and it has not stopped eating in days, it eats constantly. Your caterpillar knows just how important it is to have plenty of fresh milkweed to eat, and it eats all day and all night. Compare the first picture below with the last picture of your caterpillar...WOW!!! It has grown over 2,800 times its original size since the egg. Think about that for a moment, If you grew that fast how big would you have been 3 weeks after your birth? Bigger than a bread box, you bet!...you would have grown as large as a school bus and weighed even more!

Not too many predators will bother your caterpillar at this stage so most of the focus should be on plants and keeping your enclosure filled with fresh leaves and very clean. Caterpillars prefer to be kept dry and clean and good air flow is very necessary as they quickly process their food. Where does all this Milkweed go? a great question that we have overlooked. Well it is turned into "frass" or caterpillar poop, not a glamorous job to keep the enclosure clean but very necessary to ensure your caterpillar stays healthy. Where the word "frass" came from we are unsure but leaves go in the front and you figure out the rest. This natural byproduct is very good for fertilizing your plants and can be dried and saved for future use. Watering your caterpillar is not necessary if you have fresh leaves, as it can get all the water it needs from the leaves. We often wash our cuttings prior to giving them to our caterpillars and make sure to always keep the stems in water so they do not dry out. Dried leaves are not favored by caterpillars and can cause problems so remove them as you are able. Just in case you run out of leaves your caterpillar can happily eat the Milkweed stems as seen in picture #4. when the leaves are gone some plants are eaten literally to the ground as the caterpillars search for food.

Every day the Migration race continues with millions of Monarchs flying North. They need Millions of Milkweed plants and heroes like you who take action on their behalf. This is a Nationwide project and many people are needed in every region to assist the Monarchs. Please take a moment to think of friends and relatives you can contact and get involved in this improtant campaign.

www.livemonarch.com/volunteer.htm use this link for more ideas on how you can help the Monarchs.

This link will give you access to Free seeds, Milkweed plants, and important plant care information.

www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm

The live Monarch Foundation brings you this free learning experience and hope you will share your, lessons with others and help Butterflies in your area by inspiring others to take action and plant seeds for their caterpillar children. Please take advantage of our Free Seed Program , our low cost plants and butterfly rearing supplies and please tell others about this online pet adventure!

Next update in 3 days.

How Big is my Caterpillar? The difference in the pictures at right is just one day!!!

Remember Me at Day 3?

These pictures use a penny as a size comparison.

Get a 45 DAY head start with pre grown Milkweed palnts $1 EACH - CLICK HERE