Once the caterpillar of the monarch butterfly was a familiar sight on common milkweed and other members of the milkweed family, which are the only plants that a monarch caterpillar can feed on.
The caterpillar, above, was found and photographed on swamp milkweed, an attractive plant that is a beautiful addition to a home wildflower garden, as well as a valuable food plant for the embattled monarch. Many people are including milkweed in their home gardens and meadows because the plants and butterflies that rely on them are beautiful, and, in the case of the monarchs, they are in trouble as a species, explained Art Weber, Metroparks Toledo nature photographer.
Pesticide use and habitat loss are the culprits threatening the monarch butterfly.
This insect species makes an incredible journey every year, migrating to Mexico at the end of summer and returning north in the spring.
