Monarch Larva on Milkweed Springfield, Massachusetts Click browser's <Back> button to return to prior page.

This was a hungry little critter.   Once monarch larva get large, they eat like crazy.   I had to get the camera really close to it for this shot.   As it ate, the leaf shook slightly and its antennae kept wiggling about.   I needed to stop the motion so that I could get a clear still image.   I decided to tap the tip of the upper leaf gently, which worked like a charm.   Whenever I did this, the caterpillar froze for a few seconds, paying close attention to its surroundings, which allowed me to photograph it at leisure.