On July 28, 2024

A beautiful female Monarch flew around Our Charming Backyard Butterfly Garden and left us a little surprise—eggs! And guess where? On the very plant my daughter Christa had proudly planted in her patch of the garden. We were both curious to see if these native plants would thrive in our yard, so we gave the natural soil a little boost and mixed in some soil conditioner. We’re happy to see both the plants and butterflies approve!

On August 4th

A week later we have baby caterpillars!

We spotted about 11 tiny caterpillar babies crawling around. These little adventurers didn’t stay on their birth plant for long—they decided to explore the yard making it a fun challenge for us to track them down. Surprisingly, I managed to snap some pics of their growing-up moments known as “instars.”

On August 10

The last caterpillar left the nest in search of a place to pupate and transform into a butterfly.

After searching high and low we didn’t manage to find any of their chrysalises.

The same day, we discovered this tiny caterpillar on our showy milkweed nestled in one of our cedar planters. He was the last one, the tiniest of the bunch—definitely the little runt of the litter, so to speak!

If you look closely, you can spot tiny specks of dirt or something similar. It makes me wonder if this little one trekked across our lawn, picking up debris along the way. Could it be the same caterpillar I saw leave the nest earlier in the day? I thought to myself.

Then I noticed it change right before my eyes as it sheds its skin and creates a new body.

Watching nature’s creativity in action as it regenerates new skin for this species’ survival feels like witnessing a miracle unfold right before my eyes. It’s truly awe-inspiring!

Then I spotted a tiny Queen monarch caterpillar climbing up the same plant where our new little caterpillar was chilling. Could this new guy be crashing someone else’s pad?

In the picture above, the Queen caterpillar, native to Texas, is the bottom one with mostly red coloring and 3 sets of antennae. In contrast, the migrating Monarch is mostly black and has only 2 sets of antennae.

This is the first time we’ve witnessed two different species of caterpillars come face to face! I had no clue whether they’d be friendly or territorial. The Queen caterpillars have made the showy milkweed their home all spring and summer. Here’s how it all went down:

From what we observed, the meeting seemed to go fairly smoothly. But did you notice the photo where the Queen suddenly turns bright red and sprays some kind of webbing or liquid at the migrant? I wonder if they change color when they feel threatened?

Snapping photos of these little guys for hours on a hot summer day definitely calls for some quick breaks between all the excitement. When both caterpillars were finally relaxing on separate leaves, I dashed inside to cool off and recharge.

Next thing I see when I return is this…

This was definitely not the destiny I had in mind for this adorable thriving caterpillar. You can only imagine the whirlwind of emotions I felt watching a wasp fly off with the little guy I had grown so fond of.

Let’s imagine, Our Charming Backyard Butterfly Garden is a place where we can learn and observe the delicate balance of the goodness in nature. Could caterpillars be a bit territorial in their quest for survival? Perhaps the Queen has found a way to communicate with wasps enlisting them to guard their food from unwelcome intruders. Without natural defenses of their own could the caterpillars be relying on wasps and ants as their protectors keeping watch over them and their precious resources? Is the Queen simply establishing boundaries to ensure their survival?

Let’s try to crack this mystery by putting on our adventure hats and consider the possibility the wasp has good intentions. After all, their favorite snack is spiders, which helps keep the earth from spiders running amok! With that thought, let’s explore new possibilities and see where this adventure takes us.

It makes me wonder if there’s a universal law in nature, compelling every species on our planet to instinctively protect their home and resources from trespassers. Why would I assume the Queen caterpillar would gladly welcome a migrant into the cedar planter they’ve carefully nurtured and maintained throughout this spring and summer season?

It’s been truly inspiring and thrilling to host the native Queen Monarchs in our garden, with over 20 of them fluttering around at times, mating, playing and pollinating all our flowers.

If the Queen’s are territorial, maybe next time I’ll move the little migrant to one of the new milkweed plants in our garden. Or perhaps I could just send out positive messages telling them “All monarchs are welcome here—there’s plenty of resources for everyone, even the newcomers”.

But what if they aren’t territorial at all? What if the migrant caterpillar offered itself as food for the wasp to help maintain harmony and balance for itself and the environment? After all, 11 butterflies already seem like a lot and with monarchs capable of laying up to 300 eggs there should be more than enough food for everyone.

Another adventurous idea popped into my mind about how I’ve always assumed that the eggs are placed randomly on the plants with no rhyme or reason. What if there’s more to it? What if each egg has a specific purpose? In the plant kingdom, every plant creates its own ecosystem, attracting specific insects and wildlife. Each plant also has unique needs for soil, sunlight, and water. Specific insects are naturally drawn to specific ecosystems forming a mutually beneficial relationship with the plant, the soil and its environment. Wasps and ants, in turn, play a role in protecting both the plants and caterpillars. It makes me wonder: Could butterflies be laying a few extra eggs as “gifts for survival” for these protectors? After all, mutual symbiosis benefits both sides.

Reflecting on these tiny yet fascinating moments in our Charming Backyard Butterfly Garden, I’m reminded of the magnificence behind nature. From caterpillars trekking across the lawn picking up bits of the world on their journey to the intriguing interactions between different species. There’s so much we don’t fully understand. But that’s the beauty of it—exploring new possibilities without judgment or quick assumptions of the wasp being bad or evil opens our hearts to the deeper goodness behind it all. Nature, in its own mysterious way, teaches us about natural cooperation, boundaries and the delicate balance of life. Even though we may never uncover all its secrets…the joy of observing these tiny miracles will continue to inspire curiosity and awe.