Monarch Caterpillar

Natural Habitat

Fields, meadows, prairies, roadsides, and gardens where milkweed plants are present

Diet & Feeding

Exclusively leaves of the milkweed plant (Asclepias genus)

Behavior Patterns

The caterpillar spends its time feeding and growing through five stages called instars before forming a chrysalis to undergo metamorphosis into a butterfly. It sequesters toxins from milkweed to become poisonous to predators.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits include its eventual role as a pollinator when reaching the butterfly stage; it is a flagship species for conservation. No physical risk to humans, but it is toxic if ingested by pets or wildlife.

Identified on: 5/1/2026