Monroe County Master Gardener Association

Connie and Gail offered photos for today…Gail writes:

Connie and I both found some of our caterpillars looking dried up………
had not a clue but got on-line and learned that despite the
foul taste, there are predators…………..
you will see our native stink bug–you can see a
narrow tube from the bug to the caterpillar. The stink bug pierces the
soft caterpillar and literally sucks out all it juices, reducing it to a dried up
piece of tissue. The last pic shows another predator, the milkweed bug-
doing about the same but to a chrysalis………..
other predators of the Monarchs are ants, spiders, & wasps.

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While monitoring milkweed plants for Monarch activity Gail came across this
caterpillar–chomping away on the leaves of her milkweed plants. Needless to say, due to
a large number of Monarch caterpillars, these were removed from the area.
Unsure if a light on at night in this area, attracted the source of these caterpillars, which
continued to show & she persisted in moving.

Can you name this caterpillar?

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Gail writes: We had a large grouping of turkey vultures roost Friday night in various tress in yards that surround our home
yesterday morning, they sat drying their wings and then left…… did not come back to roost last night. WHEW!!!!
must be on their migratory path……hoping they don’t come back, at least to these trees, come spring…..

the last picture is a gray heron who visited and then rudely ate most of the goldfish in our pond………

Check out these interesting facts about rkey vultures here: http://www.kern.audubon.org/tvfacts.htm

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