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Danaus plexippus
Monarch larva with a complex banding pattern of white, yellow, and black stripes. The white dots on the prolegs in addition to the large size of this caterpillar (5cm) indicate that this is probably a 5th instar larva.
Spotted on milkweed in a meadow
Monarch metamorphosis from egg to adult takes as little as 25 days, However, it is estimated that fewer than 10% of monarch eggs and caterpillars survive because they are so vulnerable to weather, parasites, and disease.
1 Comment
A very beautiful caterpillar....