viceroy caterpillar at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A8078
Viceroy butterflies are made to mimic monarch butterflies and that association gives them good protection from predators since monarchs taste terrible. These viceroy caterpillars are meant to imitate a bird dropping left on a leaf, and I suppose bird droppings taste terrible to most caterpillar predators out there too. This one is making short work of that cottonwood leaf, and they can also be found eating willow or aspen leaves.
viceroy caterpillar at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A8078
Viceroy butterflies are made to mimic monarch butterflies and that association gives them good protection from predators since monarchs taste terrible. These viceroy caterpillars are meant to imitate a bird dropping left on a leaf, and I suppose bird droppings taste terrible to most caterpillar predators out there too. This one is making short work of that cottonwood leaf, and they can also be found eating willow or aspen leaves.