(440) 286-9516I have at least five 1 1/2 to 2 inch long monarch caterpillars on my swamp milkweed and am wondering if it would be best to leave them alone or to put them in a screened environment inside my screened in porch to protect them?
I have at least five 1 1/2 to 2 inch long monarch caterpillars on my swamp milkweed and am wondering if it would be best to leave them alone or to put them in a screened environment inside my screened in porch to protect them?
Monarch caterpillars that are 1.5 to 2 inches long are probably in their last instar, ready to stop eating and move away from the milkweed to pupate (become a chrysalis). Leaving them alone is the best option. Many of the hazards to the caterpillar survival are earlier in their growth. Outdoor environments like a screened porch are a good choice for raising caterpillars instead of indoors. Good to hear so many people are helping the Monarchs by growing milkweed in their gardens!
-Naturalist Dottie Drockton
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