Caterpillaration

The painted ladies we saw in their thousands a few weeks ago have disappeared, but on Thursday I noticed hundreds of caterpillars on a section of the bike path between here and campus. Same on Friday.

They’re dark gray, spiky with bristles, and have intermittent yellow striping. Yep, painted ladies. They are looking for good sites to pupate, according to Art Shapiro. When the butterflies emerge they’ll continue north.

I saw one today getting nowhere fast on my window at work. I know you’re not supposed to intervene in these things but I helped it over to a spot where there was at least a bit of traction on the wall, unlike the sheer glass.

They are travellers, these creatures…