While rambling through a big field in the center of the sanctuary, we couldn\u2019t help but notice the large number of monarch butterfly caterpillars that were feasting on the milkweed plants in the field. Just about every one of the milkweed plants (the common milkweed\u2014Asclepias syriaca<\/em>) had a monarch caterpillar on it, busily chewing on leaves.<\/p>\n This was very heartening to all of us, given how scarce monarch butterflies were last summer and the overall concern about the future of this stunning butterfly.<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" During the last week of August, Regional Scientist Robert Buchsbaum and several Mass Audubon naturalists and scientists took a field trip to Conway Hills Wildlife Sanctuary just west of the Connecticut River in Conway, MA. While there, they were pleasantly surprised by what they saw. Here’s Robert’s report: — The initial goal of our exploration […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9772,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/09\/monarch600.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-2xo","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":288,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/dont-weed-the-milkweed\/","url_meta":{"origin":9758,"position":0},"title":"Don’t Weed the Milkweed!","author":"Kristin S.","date":"July 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"If a gardening catalog offered a plant that sported unique flowers, attracted butterflies, fed and protected the beloved monarch butterfly, provided nesting material for goldfinches and orioles, was easy to grow, and was native to our state, wouldn\u2019t we be eager to plant some in our gardens? So, what is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gardening"","block_context":{"text":"Gardening","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/gardening\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/07\/commonmilkweedmonarch_cropped.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/07\/commonmilkweedmonarch_cropped.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/07\/commonmilkweedmonarch_cropped.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16367,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-munchin-on-milkweed\/","url_meta":{"origin":9758,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Munchin’ On Milkweed","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 20, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"It's well-known that Monarch caterpillars (the larval form of Monarch butterflies) rely on plants in the milkweed family as their sole source of food. But milkweeds actually support many different insects, in addition to Monarchs. Most notably, this includes two insects in the seed bug family\u2014large milkweed bugs and small\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red Milkweed Beetle on Common Milkweed \u00a9 Jenny Schule","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/09\/6637Jenny_Schule34218-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/09\/6637Jenny_Schule34218-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/09\/6637Jenny_Schule34218-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/09\/6637Jenny_Schule34218-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11610,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-monarch-caterpillars\/","url_meta":{"origin":9758,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: Monarch Caterpillars","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"As summer draws to a close and the days get shorter, the season's last generation of Monarch caterpillars are busily munching away at their favorite food: milkweed. This final calorie-binge will sustain them as they \"pupate,\" ensconcing themselves in a chrysalis\u00a0to spend 8\u201314 days metamorphosing into their adult butterfly form.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar \u00a9 Sean Horton","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/09\/4046Sean_Horton16884.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8745,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/in-your-words-butterfly-garden-team\/","url_meta":{"origin":9758,"position":3},"title":"In Your Words: Butterfly Garden Team","author":"Ryan D.","date":"March 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"In Your Words is a regular feature of Mass Audubon\u2019s\u00a0Explore member newsletter. Each issue, a Mass Audubon member, volunteer, staff member, or supporter shares his or her story\u2014why Mass Audubon and protecting the nature of Massachusetts matters to them. The Butterfly Garden Team began in 2012 with the mission of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "In Your Words"","block_context":{"text":"In Your Words","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/in-your-words\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Butterfly Garden at Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/Stony-Brook_Butterfly-Garden.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/Stony-Brook_Butterfly-Garden.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/Stony-Brook_Butterfly-Garden.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11720,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-fall-color\/","url_meta":{"origin":9758,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: Fall Color","author":"Ryan D.","date":"October 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"All across Massachusetts, the landscape is lighting up with the brilliant colors of fall foliage. 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The 2018 photo contest is now closed, but stay tuned for updates as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\u00a9 Ken Conway","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/10\/961Ken_Conway16415.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/10\/961Ken_Conway16415.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/10\/961Ken_Conway16415.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/10\/961Ken_Conway16415.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10806,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-the-city-nature-challenge\/","url_meta":{"origin":9758,"position":5},"title":"Take the City Nature Challenge!","author":"Kelly R.","date":"April 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Ready for a competitive weekend of exploration in nature? You're invited to compete worldwide for the Boston area team in the upcoming City Nature Challenge! The City Nature Challenge (CNC) encourages everyone within the I-495 corridor to get outside and record as many nature observations as possible. 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<\/p>\nHave you noticed more monarchs this year?<\/h3>\n